Technicolour
by TailsNeverFails
Summary: "I'vebeenlookingintoadoption!" He finally sped out. Set after season nine but will include all the team.
1. Chapter 1

Spencer Reid sat at the Round table, dreading the mixture of emotions that was soon to be aimed in his direction.

"Um guys, I need to ask you for a favour."

The whole team stopped their various conversations and the attention was quickly on Reid.

"Spence?" JJ asked "What's up?"

All of a sudden, he wished he hadn't decided to tell them that day. His stomach curled into tight sausages and his brain started thinking a million thoughts at once.

"I'vebeenlookingintoadoption!"

He finally sped out.

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but by the time they did, Reid was already in panic mode.

"I'm sorry for not telling you! It's just that after Maeve and every thing that's happened I didn't want to-"

"Spencer," Hotch reassured."Calm down. No one is upset. We all think this is a great idea."

Reid looked up and saw that his team didn't look hurt or betrayed like he'd feared. Just kind of proud.

"What made you think of this Pretty Boy?" Morgan chuckled.

"Well, I've wanted a kid for a long time. And for a while, I thought I would with then I ...didn't."

Saddness crept up on Morgan like an old foe as his friend's eyes glazed over, but he didn't seem to have finished.

"When Maeve left, I thought the feeling of wanting kids would stop, because I definetly didn't want to have kids with any one but it didn't. So I've decided to adopt as a single parent. I'm ready to look after a kid but not ready to move on from Maeve. Not yet."

_**So, what do you think? Sorry it's only short but I've just got started!**_

_**This is my first ever fic and I'm open to constructive criticism but please be nice.**_

_**- TailsNeverFails**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow! I never expect people to even read this let alone 3 favourites and 5 follows! Thanks to everyone who read my first chapter and to answer a question I was asked: In my little universe, Zugzwang happened as it did in the series and Maeve did die. In my head, I didn't think Reid would be able to say it out loud.**_

"My baby is getting a baby!" Garcia squealed.

"Actually... not exactly." Reid explained, he had relaxed a lot more. "She's thirteen."

"She?" Emily asked. "You've already found someone?"

"Um yes." He said, shrugging a little. "I thought it took months to get anywhere close to adoption. How long has this been going on?" Hotch questioned.

"Not long at all, 2 months and four days is all!" Reid rambled. "I thought it was fast too, but when I told the adoption agency a little about myself they said they had a great match. I have to admit that they were right." He wrung his hands as anxiety crept into his blood stream.

"Have you met her?" JJ asked gently. She was practically bursting at the seams with excitement for her friend but she didn't want him to get worked up and all the rapid question he was getting.

"We've played chess at the park a couple times." Reid murmured.

"Chess? I'm guessing she's smart right?" Rossi assumed.

"Yep." Spencer swelled with pride "She's never actually been to school before but CPS reckon she's at the level of a senior at high school."

Reid noticed Garcia sat with her tablet, trying to hold back from typing incessantly.

"You can look her up if you want, there should be a picture of her on the system." Garcia let out a sigh of relief.

" Thankyou my genius, I just need her name."

"Now I think of it, yeah, what is this future Reid's name?" Rossi asked.

"When they found her she didn't have one." He replied in a whisper. "But CPS have temporarily called her Syble Mathews." The team winced at the awful name Syble had been given, and then realised just exactly what Reid had said.

"She didn't have a name?" Hotch fumed as his eyebrows furrowed. But his question was not answered as Garcia had completed her search for Syble's file. " Oh Reid." She whispered as her eyes filled with tears. A picture of a girl with dark way word hair and orange glasses filled the screen. She was beautiful but she had a black eye and her glasses were cracked and broken.

"Who did that to her?" Morgan demanded, his jaw tightened.

"Its all in the file." Reid croaked. Syble already kind of felt like his and it hurt to see her like that.

"It's unknown, but they suspect her father whoever he may be." Garcia read. "She was found after a neighbour in her apartment complained about an odour coming from the room. When the police went to inspect, she was found alone, hadn't eaten in over a week and had many broken bones."

"What about her mom?" JJ wondered, knowing she would never leave Henry like that.

"Helena Barrett was who she said was her mom and - Oh God... She was found in the bathtub with slit wrists and she also showed signs of abuse."

Silence fell in the room. Wanting to distract Reid who had started to fidget, Hotch spoke up. "You said you needed a favour Reid?"

He blinked as if coming out of a trance.

"Oh yeah, a few actually." He paused and when he saw his team following his words intently, he continued. "Before she can legally live with me, I need to have a respectable person's approval of me becoming a parent. I was hoping you could maybe do that for me Sir?"

"Of course, I'd be happy to." Hotch replied, secretly honoured that Reid had asked him.

"Also, I was wondering if I could bring Syble in to see who I work with?"

"That'd be fine too." His boss said.

"In that case, I should probably tell you about her huh?"

The whole room nodded enthusiastically.

"First off, she hates the name Syble and we are going to legally change her name when I adopt her. I let her choose so she decided for her name to have link to one of her favourite authors: Edgar Allan Poet."

"I'm guessing Annabel then?" Rossi interrupted.

"Actually no, she has decided on Nora." Reid smiled, as if it was an entirely obvious connection but was faced with six faces of confusion.

"Wait a minute," Emily smiled. "You mean Nora as in _Lenore _don't you?"

"Correct!" Reid grinned." 'The Raven' is both our favourites but I could hardly call my child Lenore! What would be the point of changing it from Syble!"

"So we're to call her Nora?" Morgan chuckled at how alike Reid and Nora sounded.

"I believe that would be best."

"Anything else Reid?" Asked Hotch.

"One last thing," Spencer said, his body language changed from excitement to nervousness again.

"When they found Nora, they noticed certain behaviour she possessed and she was given a test for Asperger's."

"What was the result Spence?" JJ whispered. A quiet had filled the room but was cut off sharply by Reid's strangely brisk voice.

"I can't say I know, but maybe the few people who do, no longer see her as a normal child. All I need to know is how to look after her and make her feel safe. I don't need a name to accompany that."

"I agree completely," Hotch nodded with a serious but kind expression. "Is Tuesday an okay day for you?"

_**So how was that? Please read and review but until next time : Get ready to meet Nora Reid...**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	3. Chapter 3

At exactly eight o'clock on Tuesday morning, Reid met Nora outside the BAU office. Reid looked across to her chaperone from CPS.

"Why don't you go to the staff lounge Ma'am, we can handle this." The sour faced women glared at Reid with eyes like death rays, but she was used to house visits, not FBI visits and took up the offer with a sharp nod.

Once she was gone, Reid turned his attention to Nora. She measured up to about five foot and was extremely skinny, with her collar bone jutting out behind her bright blue T-shirt. He reached down and brushed back her fringe with his hand.

"You ready?"

"I think so yeah." Nora nodded but at the last minute Reid spotted a hint of panic in her body language. He gave Nora a concerned look which she picked up on and decided there was no point lying to him.

"I'm a bit nervous but I'll be fine." Spencer gently laid his hand on her cheek and decided that she was telling the truth.

"Okay let's go in."

The team were already waiting in the bullpen and looked up as the two walked in.

"Hi guys," Reid called as he walked over. "This is Nora."

"Hello Nora, it's nice to meet you. I'm Agent Hotchner but you can call me Hotch or Aaron if you'd like." Hotch smiled as Nora and Reid got closer.

"Hello." Nora said quietly.

"You must be Nora, hi," Morgan said as he held out his hand.

"Sorry, I don't shake hands. Did you know that a handshake passes on more germs than a kiss?" Nora noticed the grins coming from the Agents as she said the exact same line Reid used so often and relaxed a little. No one was mad with her for what she had said and it brought her out of her shell a little.

After a round of welcomes and introductions (with handshakes carefully avoided) Emily turned to Reid.

"When is the adoption happening?" She asked, curiosity overtaking.

"This afternoon actually. Nora is spending her first night at my apartment tonight." Reid smiled.

"Well we must celebrate!" Rossi cheered. "My house this evening. I'll make my famous Penne Carbonara!"

"It's okay Rossi, you don't have to do anything special for us." Reid worried.

"Yes I do, Nora must meet the rest of the family."

"Family?" Nora spoke to herself.

" It's okay," Reid assured her. "It's just that because how close our team is, we call ourselves a family. It's also kind of nice because most of us have lost family at one point or another." While he spoke, Reid casually brushed his hand against Nora's but held it there just for a second to let her know it was okay.

Hotch noticed Nora had begin to shake her hands and remembered it was a telltale sign before a meltdown.

"Do you like scrabble Nora?"

...

They were all engrossed in a rather heated game of scrabble, when the women from CPS loudly cleared her throat.

"Syble we must go now." She snapped. Reid frown at the harsh way the women had spoken to his daughter, but didn't want to start any thing on the day of the adoption.

"I better go." Nora whispered, as if reading his mind. Spencer brushed her fringe out of her eyes.

"I'll see you soon okay?"

"Then I'm with you." The girl smiled.

"Then your with me." Reid repeated, stroking Nora's hair slightly.

"Now Syble!" The women demanded, so Nora waved a goodbye to the team and padded away.

"She's perfect!" JJ beamed once Nora was out of earshot.

"A mini Reid-ette if ever I saw one." Derek smiled. "She's great pretty boy."

"Reid that girl will need a lot of support but I'm certain you can give it to her." Rossi said with a proud expression.

"Thanks guys, a lot, but if I don't get to work I won't have time to finish early to get to the courthouse."

"Nonsense, we don't have a case," Hotch frowned with a look on his face that meant Reid didn't even bother trying to argue. "Take the rest of the day off and prepare for Nora. But before you go can I have a word in my office."

"Sure."

The two strolled up the stairs making light conversation about this and that, but once Hotch closed the door to his office, his face went from casual to serious in seconds. Reid thought he knew what Hotch was going to say, so he tried to beat him to it.

"If you don't want me to adopt Nora then I'm afraid I'll have to hand in my resignation!" He blurted

"Woah Spencer I was not going to say that!" Hotch replied, almost as urgently as Reid had.

"You werent ?" The bewildered profiler asked.

"Never Reid, would I put you in a position where you had to choose between your job and Nora. Or any child for that matter."

"Then why did you call me in here?" Reid wondered.

"I wanted to check you were sorted out for Nora and if you needed any help with things."

"For now I'm okay but if I need anything I'll let you know." Reid reassured Hotch but was given a pointed look in return.

"You've said that before but it's never happened." He accused.

"This time I will I promise. Besides I have a responsibility now. It's not just me that might go a week without sleep or proper meals, Nora will get dragged into it as well."

"Good, have you got a school for her?"

"Yes,yes she starts next Monday. But really Hotch, I can do this on my own, I can handle this."

"I do not doubt you for a second Reid, I just needed to know how long it is until Nora starts school because you aren't coming in to work until then."

"What? I-" Reid stuttered.

"No arguments. Now go get ready."

Reid nodded and stood up to leave. When he had reached the door, Hotch called out.

"Oh and Reid?"

"Yes sir?"

"Once you have that child never let her go."

"Don't worry sir I have no intention of doing that ever."

_**There you have it: chapter three! I'm still slightly shocked at how well my little tale is doing and thank to everyone who has read it or followed it or reviewed it. What do you think of Nora? Until next time**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron Hotchner was not the type to worry, but this time, he was. The whole team were waiting in Rossi's living room. Reid and Nora should have arrived a good half hour ago.

Suddenly, Hotch's phone rang causing everyone to jump a half metre off their seats and even stopped Henry's and Jack's serious staring competition. Hotch cleared his throat and flipped open his phone.

"Reid? What's happened?" He asked, tensing slightly.

"Hotch? I need help." The young doctor's voice shook slightly.

"Did something go wrong at the adoption? Was it my recommendation?" Hotch demanded. If he was the reason that child didn't get a home, he would never forgive himself.

"No! No the adoption went fine, your recommendation really helped thank you."

"Then why did you call me?" Hotch was worried now, Spencer Reid rarely asked for help.

"It's just that on the way out of the courtroom, Nora saw a picture of her mom's body in an open file and had a flashback. She's alright, just tired and kind of asleep on me. I don't think taking the bus as planned would go very well."

"I'll come pick you up. No arguments," Hotch said in his 'this is a statement not a suggestion' voice.

"That would actually be great." Reid reluctantly agreed.

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

...

As he walked up to the court house, Hotch stopped as he spotted Reid slumped on a bench outside. Nora was curled up in a ball, wrapped in his arms. Reid was quietly muttering a story to her and through Hotch couldn't identify it, it sounded calm and poem-like.

Reid noticed Hotch walk up, and stopped his muttering.

"Hey." He whispered, sounding a lot older than he was.

"Hey, how is she?"

"Better," Reid smiled. "She's been asleep for seventeen minutes now."

"Come on Spencer," Hotch offered. "Let's get you home."

"What about Rossi's?"

"It's been a long day for you both and you need sleep. Dave will understand." He said quietly.

Reid carefully eased himself off of the bench and carefully rearranged Nora so that her head rested on his shoulder and her blue boots dangled against his shins. Hotch noted that though her clothes were more formal than the morning in the office, she wasn't wearing a single item that wasn't blue, the two times he had met her that day.

"She likes blue huh?" He asked.

"That's actually one of her quirks," Reid explained. "She has a colour for each day of the week. And though she isn't really picky about it, if any options for anything, food or stationary or whatever, coincides with the colour of that day, she'll choose it."

"That's interesting. Nora have any other quirks?" Hotch tactfully wondered.

"She likes the number eleven but that's about it." Reid responded.

By this time, they had reached the car, and Reid decided to sit in the back with Nora. He was just about to lower her into a seat, when she began to toss erratically in her sleep.

"Please no, don't do that!" She mumbled. "NO!" Reid quickly caged her thrashing fists with one hand, while pulling Nora close with the other.

"Nora you're safe, you're just dreaming wake up." Spencer soothed, combing her chestnut coloured hair with his fingers. Nora woke up and looked around.

"Reid?" She cried hoarsely.

"Shh it's okay, you're okay."

Reid continued to rock slightly and murmur reassurances until the trembling child slept again. It was only then, that he remembered Hotch. He looked up sheepishly to see his boss looking on proudly and prepared for an embarrassing discussion but oddly, Hotch said nothing.

...

After five minutes of driving in silence, Hotch made eye contact with Reid through the wing mirror.

"Reid?" He called out

"Yes sir?" The young doctor responded.

"You did good."

"Thank you sir."

"So Nora calls you Reid?" The man asked his passenger.

"For now yeah. She's not really ready for dad yet, and when we first met I said she could choose what she called me and she chose Reid." He said softly, aware of the sleeping girl next to him.

"The flashback? Did you cope okay?" Hotch thought the answer would be yes whether it actually was or not, but asked anyway.

"When I find who did what they did to her, they will regret everything." Reid answered solomly. "Hotch she got every abuse there is," Reid helplessly stated. "They-"

"Don't worry about that now. I know I won't because she has a great father who I know will put this better for her." As Hotch said this, he pulled up outside Reid's apartment.

"Night Hotch." The tired genius sighed as he climbed out of the car.

"Goodnight Spencer."

_**Any thoughts? Let me know. Thanks for the follows and reviews again,**_

_**- TailsNeverFails**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Off the back of Reid's comment "we've played chess a couple times" , I've decided to throw the odd chapter of one of these meetings in now and again. This is the first one, and they will all be from Nora's P.O.V. Hope you enjoy it**_

_**- TailsNeverFails**_

I sat in the back of the car staring out of the window, and listening to my social worker drone on about first impressions. Except I wasn't really listening the the drone. Or observing the gormless driver in the green mini next to us. I was thinking.

This was my ninth try at meeting a family. Nine couples, in a year of being in the system, and it was a bloody good record. I actually wouldn't have minded being adopted. I wasn't one of those nutters that went out of their way to be awkward just for the sake of it, but the system sucked, and the so called 'highly thought through matching questionnaire' was a failure at best.

I saw no point in this meeting. I was past the prime adoption age of nine by a few years, still had emotional and physical scars, and was to put it bluntly, weird. The odds were not in my favour. The location was different though. It was usually at their house so they could show it off, maybe expecting us to be amazed like this outgoing ginger haired girl that was in a film they showed at Christmas. I had never watched it, opting to read, but at various glances up, I had noted she was an orphan, and thought it to be an odd choice to show at a kids home.

Eventually, I remembered that it said I liked chess in my profile. I knew what type of couple this would be and felt sickened at the prospect of spending the next four hours with them. They would be patronizing, with fake smiles and ready to please. I would win chess, and then have to sit there listening to them coo about how "clever!" I was, when I would know they either purposely let me win, or were stupidly bad at chess.

"Syble? Syble answer me when I talk to you!" My social worker sqwarked.

"Please could you repeat the question?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"You will remember you manners for Mr Reid won't you?" She glared at me.

"What? Mrs Reid isn't making an appearance?" I wondered

"There isn't one, you know that already." She sqwarked again.

"Do I? Okay then." I answered though I didn't really know what she was talking about.

A single parent? That was new. Though I'd have to be careful. He could want me for the same reason my own father gave me just enough food for me to stay alive, and that could not happen again.

...

When we arrived at the park, Mr Reid was already sat at one of the chess tables, playing himself. It was then that I decided to give him a chance. He was spinning the board around and making moves at a rate I wasn't certain _I _could keep up with. And I had done nothing but read and play chess against myself in the past year.

Mr Reid was tall and skinny with longish hair about the same colour as my own, he wore corduroy trousers a shirt and a sweater vest. He also wore a purple scarf, and seeing as it was Thursday, it made me smile to myself as Thursday was a purple day. He noticed we had arrived.

"Oh um hello," he smiled awkwardly. "I apologise for starting with it was just..." He trailed off as he realised from the social workers expression that he was rambling. "I'll put the pieces back."

"I am Mrs Womack. You must be Mr Reid." She held out her hand to shake, but he just gave a little wave.

"Oh no- well yes I am Spencer Reid, but Mr Reid was my father, not me. You can call me Dr Reid I suppose, if you like formalities." Mrs Womack's eyebrows disappeared under her fringe.

"Hello Dr Reid." I whispered.

"Hello," he smiled. "Would you like to start?"

We played in silence for a few minutes until Mrs Womack got bored and spoke up.

"I'm going to get a coffee from the cafe, would you like anything?" She attempted to ask politely.

"Could I have a coffee with six sugars please?" He requested with the amount of politeness Mrs Womack was aiming for in her attempt except he actually succeeded. Mrs Womack huffed and walked away, leaving me and the doctor alone.

"You know you don't have to call me Dr Reid," he smiled. " I only said that because of her reaction to my dislike of hand shaking and thought she might explode if I suggested she call me Spencer."

"What should I call you then?" I asked quietly.

"What would you like to? It's up to you really." He stumbled over his words slightly. "My first name is Spencer, but a lot of people call me Reid. You could even call me just Doctor if you want, though I'm hardly a Time Lord." He watched Doctor Who? Maybe he was okay.

"Is umm? Is Reid okay?" I stuttered.

"That's fine." He nodded quietly. "Now that's sorted, what should I call you?"

"They called me Syble." I screwed up my nose slightly.

"Syble? Yeesh who came up with that?" He winced.

"I dunno but I hate them." I deadpanned.

"What do _you _want to be called?" He asked.

"I like the name Nora."

"That's a great name. Kinda reminds me of this character called Lenore in this poem-"

"The Raven!" I cut in, he read Edgar Allen Poe!

"Yeah. Do you like to read Nora?" He asked using the name I chose. The name _I _chose!

"I read all the time, it's wonderful." I answered.

"I feel the same way. Maybe next time we could swap our favourites and give each other feedback?" he wondered hopefully.

"Okay yeah!' I heard myself say without realizing I had agreed to meet Reid again. Was that a bad thing?

Soon, Mrs Womack returned, and I had realized I had let down my guard. I stopped speaking more than four word sentences and avoiding eye contact like I had trained myself, but I couldn't help smiling to my myself.

Maybe this system didn't suck after all.

_**How was that? I wanted to try something new and see how it went so reviews would be happily received.**_

_**If you didn't like this, let me know and I'll stop the impromptu glimpses into Nora's head. Thanks for reading!**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	6. Chapter 6

Reid cursed as he spilt half of the kettle contents over the counter top and his hand. Sensing someone watching him, he turned to see Nora stood in the doorway. She had changed into green jeans and a green T-shirt, but had yet to brush her hair, so the curly strands stuck up at irregular angles instead of hanging a few inches from her shoulders.

"Morning. How did you sleep?" He asked her.

"Good," she lied.

"We have six days free now so is there anything in particular you want to do?"

"Not really," Nora answered. "Except..."

"What?" Reid asked curiously.

"Could we go to the library? There's some books I've been looking at." She hoped she hadn't asked for too much.

"Sure, there's just a few things we need to do, and then we can go." Reid said.

"Things like what?" Nora mumbled, while swinging the door slightly.

"Your school has sent me a bunch of questionnaires and mini tests that you need to do so they can put you in the right classes." He answered apologetically. " I know it's our first day, but I thought it would be better if we got it over with."

"It's okay," the girl shrugged. "It probably won't take me long anyway."

"Thanks Nora."

...

After half an hour, Nora had finished the two hour brick of sheets and exams and out of boredom, decided to complete the attached personal information sheet. She had got a third left when she hit a road bump.

"Reid!" She called.

"Nora!" He replied, poking his head round the corner of the door.

"Its says I need three contact telephone numbers." She mumbled, dropping her eyeliner to her lap. " I have one."

"Hey don't panic, I have that sorted. Hotch and JJ are fine being your emergency contacts. Is that okay with you?" He asked, casually placing his hand over hers, to stop it twitching.

"They would?" She breathed, looking relieved. Reid just nodded, a small smile on his face.

"Right, the library. We can get some breakfast while we're out if you want." He offered.

"That would be good."

...

They sat eating bagels in a small café near the park they had first met. Reid sipped a mug of coffee while Nora had apple juice.

"You want to ask me something." He deduced. "What is it?"

" I was just wondering, well... Not a lot of people adopt single." She fumbled over the awkward question that had been bugging her.

"You're right," Reid sighed.

"Was there ever anyone?" Nora asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Yes," her father whispered. "She was called Maeve and I loved her very much. We used to talk to each other over a payphone."

"What happened?" Nora quietly asked.

"She... She died." Reid's voice cracked as he remembered the warehouse.

Nora wanted to ask a million things, but thought carefully, and decided of was not the time.

"Reid? If it hadn't have happened, do you, do you think I'd be hers too?" She wondered. Reid smiled thoughtfully.

"Do you know? I think so yeah. I mean she wanted kids and we did actually both agree we liked the idea of adoption."

"I'm glad." Nora smiled.

"She would have loved you. Poe was her favourite.

"Maeve sounds great." She whispered.

"She was."

...

As they entered the library, Nora face lit up like a candle. With a nod from Reid, she raced off, running her finger down the spines of the books, reading each title. Smiling at her enthusiasim, Reid watched her for a second, before choosing a few for himself. Before long, Nora had eight thick tomes, and a graphic novel. They walked to the desk and had their books stamped out, before they were on their way.

Reid was replaying his and Nora's conversation in the cafe, when he felt a small hand creep into his.

_**Hope you enjoy it! Please review**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	7. Chapter 7

"Don't make me go in there! NO!"

The screams echoed around Reid's head as he woke from sleep. His first thought was of Nora.

He ran into her room and saw her bed empty. His brain flashed into over drive and it was only then that he woke up properly. Only then that he noticed the small dark lump in the corner of the room. He switched on the bedside lamp and rushed over to his daughter.

"Don't come near me! Just leave me alone!" Nora cried, her throat hoarse.

"Hey," Reid gently whispered. "Hey Nora, Nora it's me. Look at me Nora."

"Reid?" Her head raised from her knees slightly.

"It's me, you're okay. I've got you, it's okay." He whispered as she barrelled into his tight embrace. She shook slightly and Reid could feel her heart beating at a rate he thought too fast. As he combed his fingers through her hair and mumbled reassurances, Nora began to calm but Reid didn't have to be a profiler to know that sleep would not come easy for either of them.

"My mom used to read to me after I woke up," Reid said, steering round the word 'nightmare'. "Would you like me to read to you?" He asked. Feeling a head nod against his shoulder, Reid picked up a book from the pile from the library, and set Nora down on her bed. Once he was seated on the floor next to her, Spencer began to read.

"What about a teakettle? What if the spout opened and closed when the steam came out so it would become a mouth and whistle pretty melodies..."

...

When Nora woke, the smell of pancakes drifted into her room. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation, so she threw back her star patterned quilt and changed into orange jeans and a oversized orange and white flannel shirt.

"Morning," she whispered as she remembered the events of the previous night.

"Hey, blueberry pancakes okay?" Her parent asked cheerily.

"Yeah they'd be great. I'm just going to go read for a while if that's okay?" She wondered timidly.

"Sure, you have about fifteen minutes."

A knock on the door pulled Reid away from the pancake mix, and he opened it to reveal Garcia.

"Hey! What're you doing here?" Reid grinned. "Come on in!"

"Sorry my genius, I'm en route to the office, I just came by to drop off these!" The tech analyst squealed. After seeing her friends confused glance at the paperwork she was brandishing, she decided to put him out of his misery.

"It's the results to all of the tests Nora did the other day!" Garcia beamed. "Don't ask me how I got them because you wouldn't like it. You would however, like the results of the even mini-er geniuses exams."

"What are they?" Reid asked.

"To jump to the point, she is in all advanced classes, as well as music, and computer science." The flamboyant woman rushed. " I've really gotta go, but I'll see you at Rossi's tonight!"

"Okay bye!... Wait what?"

...

A bell rang on Rossi's door. The team sat once again in his living room, and put a halt on conversation whilst their friend went to answer it.

"Reid and Nora are here!" The Italian called as he led the pair to the team.

"So kid, you already know most of these doofus' but there are a few extra faces." Said Rossi, taking charge of introductions. "This is JJ's husband Will, and her son Henry."

"Hey Nora," Will drawled.

"Hey," Nora waved.

"Unca 'Spencer!" Henry yelled, jumping into his godfathers arms.

"Hey bud," Reid grinned. "This is Nora, I'm looking after her now." Henry played shy and dropped his head onto Reid's shoulder.

"'Ello." He mumbled. Rossi then walked over to Hotch.

"This Hotch's son Jack." He gestured to the nine year old who was playing a handheld video game.

"I'm sorry, he's he's otherwise preoccupied, he may be responsive in a year or so," Hotch laughed. "How're you both doing?"

"We're doing good Hotch. We're doing good." Reid nodded quietly.

Every one chatted and joked around for a while until Rossi came from the kitchen in a 'kiss the cook' apron.

"Right my munchkins! Bon appetite!"

As they settled round the table, Nora whispered to Reid.

"Can I sit next to Emily?" Reid had seen the two talking earlier on and had seen his daughter actually laughing with his college.

"Sure," he grinned. A glass was tapped and quiet blanketed the room.

"I would like to make a toast to this family of ours," Rossi announced. "Whether they be prehistoric," he said nodding to Hotch and causing some chuckles. "Or brand new." He finished, winking at Nora.

_**There we go! Chapter seven. What did you think? Thanks to all the people that read and follow this, it means a lot.**_

_**By the way, the book Reid read to Nora was: Extremely loud and incredibly close by Johnathan Safran Foer. It's a great book, and well worth a read if you see it about.**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	8. Chapter 8

A text message appeared on Reid's phone.

Hey pretty boy you have a drivers licence right?

Yes. Why? He replied to Morgan.

Come outside and see.

Reid rushed outside, but not before sticking his head into Nora's room. She had commandeered his keyboard that morning and sat playing a complicated tune.

"Morgan has lured me outside with a curious message. Wanna come?"

"'Kay," she shrugged. "I wasn't doing much anyway."

The two rushed outside to see Morgan stood beside a dark green 1955 ford fairlane.

"Morgan why are you stood out here next to the one car I like? Like really like?" Reid asked, practically drooling at the vintage car.

"Erm, to give it to you maybe? You need a car man." He smirked at Reid's 'eight year old girl meeting one direction' expression.

"Wait," Reid turned genius again. "How much do I owe you?"

"Not a dime. You know for a genius, you sure can be stupid." He joked.

"I can't let you pay for this!" Reid screeched.

"I'm glad 'cause I ain't." Morgan said. "This is Rossi's doing."

"I can't take a car from him." Reid said stubbornly.

"Okay let's put this into a language you can understand pretty boy. Pop quiz. One, Do you need a car? Two, would not having this car make things harder for you and Nora? Three, have you wanted this car since you could drive at the age or thirteen?" Seeing Reid hesitantly nod at all three questions, Morgan crossed his arms across his chest. "Well then it's settled, you keep the car."

"Oh all right!" Reid finally caved, throwing his hands in the air. "I'll keep the car, but only because if I don't it will be bad for Nora."

"Whatever," Morgan grinned and turned to Nora. "Do you like it?" He asked.

"Yeah, the colour's darker than the photo. I like it darker." She mused.

"Wait you knew about this?" Reid baulked.

"Have you ever tried surprising a kid like Nora?" Morgan asked. "It sucks."

"Plus, I had to try figure out your favourite colour." She nodded.

"Nice job." Reid beamed at Nora's developing social skills. "Shall we drive to Rossi's and thank him?"

"Woah! That won't work, we've got a case. I just dropped this baby off on my way to the airport. Gotta go." Morgan said and hailed a taxi. "See you guys!"

...

Spencer Reid usually thought it odd to love inanimate objects, except from books of course, but he loved his car.

The red interior and the original knobs and buttons in the car made him feel like he was in the 50's.

"You don't have to do this," Nora's voice broke into his thoughts. They were driving to a music store.

"Yes I do." He nodded.

"You don't, I have the keyboard." his daughter crossed her arms not too differently to Morgan's earlier.

"Nora Reid, you show great musical talent, we will go to the store and you will choose another instrument, or at least a better quality piano." he said sternly.

She grinned. "Fine, fine. God, anyone would think you were my Dad or something!" Reid's heart skipped. She had said Dad. Not wanting to make it a big thing, he continued the joke.

"Hmm," he said, over exaggerating stroking his chin. "Funnily enough, I think I am." He nodded with a serious expression.

"I think we're here," Nora pointed at a sign. "Look."

"So we are. Come on."

...

As they entered, Nora's face lit up as much as it had done at the library, when she spotted a dark purple cello in the corner that matched Thursday's colour.

"Can we look at that." She whispered, not wanting to ruin the music playing in the background. Reid must have thought the same, as he just nodded.

As she picked up the instrument, she made a few simple calculations, and played.

"Woah you had a cello lesson before?" the shop owner with a name tag that was printed 'Andy' said. Nora quickly tucked into herself and stared at the ground, so Reid answered for her.

"No, she hasn't, but can I get one of these please?"

...

They drove home in silence, as it seemed for a while, they didn't need words.

"Thankyou for this." Nora whispered.

"Thankyou for everything."

"It's alright. I like seeing you happy." He gave a half smile in the corner of his mouth.

"When I called you my Dad before," Nora mumbled. "It wasn't an accident. I wanted to call you it."

" I'm okay with you calling me what ever you want, you know that. But if it helps, you know you don't always have to call me one name. You could call me Dad one day, or Reid the next or even 'That lanky skinny one' and I wouldn't care." Spencer smiled.

"Okay Dad." Nora yawned. It was getting late and she wasn't far from sleep.

"Okay Nora."

...

That night, a blonde profiler had just finished talking to her son, when a text flashed on her phone. She grinned and her eyes filled at the excited message her friend had sent her:

Nora called me Dad today.

_**Thanks to sue3131 who gave me the idea of Reid getting a car. For some reason the thought never crossed my mind, but it was fun to write and I hope I did it well. Look up the 1955 fairlane if you want a visual. Please read and review!**_

_**- TailsNeverFails**_


	9. Chapter 9

The theatre rumbled with conversation and the sound of the orchestra tuning. Reid and Nora sat on the plush red seats, waiting for the performance to start. Spencer smiled at his daughter's amazement at the mural on the ceiling. He had wanted the six days they had together to fill in for Nora's non existent childhood, but he knew from experience that a lot of run of the mill child activities were incredibly dull when you had an IQ over one hundred and sixty; he had compromised. So that's why instead of a pantomime, they were waiting to see the opera of 'The Barber of Syville'.

"So is it the same as the Sweeney Todd film?" Nora asked him.

"Kinda, but this is the original way the story of the Demon Barber was told. Really, the film was based on this opera."

"Cool." She nodded.

"Mmm." Reid agreed, chewing on twizzler. They may have been at the opera, but neither of them were mature enough to not get sweets.

"I was thinking we could go for dinner after this," he offered. "It finishes at around seven pm."

"Sounds good, could we maybe go to that Thai place we passed?" Nora asked.

"Sure, I like Thai and that place has good reviews." Spencer answered. "Are you sure about this particular story Nora? It gets pretty graphic." The father nervously said.

"Nothing I haven't seen before." She joked. Reid tried to smile but couldn't. He knew she didn't mean she had seen violence in a movie like other kids.

"It has murder with razor blades. It's, it's not very different to-"

"I know." Nora cut Reid off. "But I can't let my background control me. Or they'll have won." She mumbled, shyly folding into herself.

She said they'll Reid thought and frowned slightly, but decided to come back to it later. Nora started to blink quickly and fidget.

"Hey, we can leave if you need to." He whispered softly, looking concerned.

"Dad I'm fine. But it was supposed to start at four forty five." She twitched more. Looking down at his wrist and seeing the play was two minutes late, went into action.

"Nora," he said assertively. "Look at me and calm down. Good, you're doing good." Reid sighed with relief as the play began and Nora calmed but doubt lingered in his head from earlier. She never got that worked up about timings, so the comment about her past must have upset her more than she let on. He tried to settle and watch the show, but he knew that when dinner came, he had to talk to her. And it wouldn't be good.

...

The Barber of Syville was excellent, the singers even better, but the niggle at the back of Spencer's head grew as time went on.

"We need to talk." He picked at his rice anxiously. Nora looked up from her noodles, and though she didn't respond verbally, her face said it all.

"I know you don't want to. But if I know, I can help." the man pleaded. Nora had ducked her head and Reid worried he had driven her away like he had at some of the meetings, but she slowly raised her face. Her eyes were glassy with tears.

"I can't." She croaked.

"You need to try, I'm so sorry, but you really need to try." He eased gently.

"Nora if you do this, I might be able to find them."

"No you won't. But they'll find me." Her voice shook with every word.

"Nothing will happen to you. I will never let anything happen." Reid reassured the sobbing child.

"Not here." She managed to get out.

"Okay we're finished anyway. What about the car?" Spencer carefully placed a hand over Nora's. She nodded.

...

The car was cool but not cold, and smelt of leather and varnish. Nora waited for her chest to stop juddering and her hands to stop shaking. When composed, she looked over at the driver's seat.

"What do you want to know?"

"You said they'll." Reid whispered. "Or they'll win."

"There was more than one." Nora nodded." That's why I said it. There was my Mom. And the man. And his brother." She spoke at a barely audible volume.

"Your Mom?" Reid frowned. "She hurt you?"

"Sometimes." Nora whispered. "I didn't understand at first but I researched it. She had a split identity."

"And the brothers?"

"The older one had always been there. The other one came when I was nine."

"This is going to be hard Nora," Reid warned. "But do you know their names?"

"Bobby, the younger one was called Bobby. I don't know the older one's." She started to panic slightly. "I'm sorry I don't know! I should know, I should know." Reid caught his daughter and pulled her into a crushing hug.

"Nora Reid, never apologise to me about any of this. Ever." Reid's voice turned firm.

"Okay. Okay." The shaking girl whispered. Spencer braced himself for what he had to ask.

" Nor? Can you tell me what your Mom did?" His throat cracked in sadness.

"She used to hit me and lock me in a closet. Sometimes she'd use a belt." Memories flooded into her consciousness and her heart quickened.

"Come on Nora, stay with me. Just try answer one more thing and we can stop." Reid rubbed circles on her back.

"What did the brothers do?" Tears now fell from Spencer's eyes as he saw the pain Nora was in.

"They used to make me,me-" the child shook her head violently.

"That's enough. That's enough." Reid soothed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but you're safe now and I will never let anything happen to you because you didn't deserve it then and you don't deserve it now. I've got you. Dad's here." Nora's breathing slowed and Spencer thought her to be asleep.

"I love you kid. I really do."

_**How was that? The next chapter could be a while because I am on holiday where internet access is limited, but it will be another one in Nora's P.O.V.**_

_**I'm curious to what you think Reid and Nora should do together. Let me know and I'll see what I can do.**_

_**Thanks for the great reviews,**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hey I'm back! Wow 40 followers. I wasn't expecting that, so thanks. No one seemed to hate the first chess meeting so here is the second.**_

It was a week later, that I met Reid again in the park. That morning at the group home I was currently in, it had been chaos so I was happy to get out even if it meant a half hour drive with Miss Womack. The frankly awful woman seemed to have very strong opinions on just about everything and her constant moaning was beginning to aggravate me.

"Syble the Dr is over there, now go. I'm going to get coffee." Her voice sounded like wood bark on a grater.

I sighed with relief as last time she had gone to get coffee, it had taken her thirty two minutes.

I edged my way over to Reid who looked up from the chess board and smiled.

"How are you this morning?" He asked, actually sounding like he wanted to know the answer.

"Okay," I mumbled. "Are you?"

"I'm fine."

We started to play, and after a while I noticed I could win.

"Did you remember your book?" He asked, possibly stalling as he too realized my chance to beat him.

"Huh?- oh the book." I said, pulling a thick tome out of my bag as Reid did the same. He gave me a suspicious glance.

"You first." I slid the book across the table. It was 'The invention of Hugo Cabret' by Brian Selznick. I became a little embarrassed. I was apparently some kind of genius, but this was a kids book.

"Hey I've never read that before." The man said curiously. I raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously I haven't!" He exclaimed, holding his hands in the universal gesture for 'I surrender'.

"It's about this Parisian orphan who lives in the walls of a train station and keeps the clocks running. He has this old automaton that he fixes up and it also links with the film maker George Melies." I said, briefly explaining the plot.

"I love George Melies' work." Reid grinned. "It sounds good."

"It is. There is also loads of intricate drawing throughout that were all done by hand." I tried to make the book seem as mature as possible.

"Cool." Reid slid a different book across the table.

"The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym." I read out, smiling at the familiar title.

"I assume you've already read it. But I couldn't give you a book you hadn't read bit wasn't my favourite." He looked sheepishly across at me.

"No worries. I've not read this edition and it has an introduction from Poe so that should be cool."

We continued to play for a few minutes, before Reid looked up from the pieces. I could see him trying to start a sentence, and then deciding not to, but I pretended I couldn't see him.

"Nora do you want to be adopted?" He asked. "Be honest with me. If you say no, I won't mind." I looked across at him, amazed that he wanted my input.

"I don't really know." I shrugged. "It would be nice, but I could potentially get put with some idiots until I'm eighteen so I guess I'm pretty sceptical on the whole idea."

"Idiots?" He questioned, a half smile on his face.

"I suppose really patronizing snobs who just adopt to look generous." I answered, though my full list of idiots that adopt was much longer than the paraphrased version I had just given him. He smirked slightly.

"When I was a kid, I always found it funny that adults never expect kids to have a proper thought out opinion. They just expect a half-assed outlook on life, that doesn't really make sense. Then they go and give kids half-assed answers to their questions and in turn basically create the half-assed opinions that they moan about. I'm guessing you may have similar thoughts to the younger Spencer Reid." He gave another small smile.

"Absolutely. Most of the adults I have encountered expect nothing from anyone under eighteen." I was shocked at the amount of understanding Reid had. If he turned out to not be great for me, he would definetly be great for some other teenager.

"On a serious note though," he asked. "Is me adopting you an idea you wish to take further? It wouldn't be straight away, but I figured if you hated me or weren't comfortable with me, and if you aren't I understand, I thought there is not point in wasting either of our time and we could call the whole thing off." He rambled and fidgeted as he spoke, and I appreciated his obviously though through offer.

It was weird. I wasn't used to liking people and it freaked me out. Reid didn't try control me or make me dependable like various social workers had. And he didn't seem like the abusive type; I had enough experiences to make a pretty good guess in that area. That left one thing.

"What's your job?" I asked, I admit, kind of judging him at the same time.

"I'm a profiler in the FBI." Reid replied.

"Are you away a lot?"

Reid's face suddenly seemed to understand.

"If a child was to stay with me, I would probably not be home at some point, but I have a very reliable group of friends that are like family. They would be happy to take care of said child if the child was okay with it." He answered as if he was filling in a questionnaire. I liked that, it made it easier for me to understand.

"I don't think it would be a waste of my time to come meet you again." I said, reusing as many of his words as I needed. Reid looked happy and relieved at the same time, he then also put me in check, so I'm not sure whether his expression was because of my answer, or the game.

"Would you like to meet at the same time next week?" Reid asked. "We could stay here or we could go do something."

"I don't know whether I can do next week," I answered sheepishly. "It's Halloween and I... I really like it."

"So do I," he answered, not looking embarrassed in the least. "I was actually going to go to an Edgar Allen Poe reading. You're welcome to join me."

"I'd like that." I smiled, though in my head, I had put myself on time out like the women at the group home did. I hadn't had nearly enough exposure to Reid to decide if he was dangerous, but I dont know really, for some reason being with him made me feel that little bit safer.

_**Sorry it's been a while but how was that? Please review, suggestions are always welcome**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	11. Chapter 11

Emily, JJ and Garcia stood outside Reid's apartment. They all simultaneously reached out to knock, but after a moment of awkward giggles, it was Prentiss who rapped a rhythm on the wooden oblong.

The drumming of footsteps came from the other side of the door, before their friend opened it.

"Hi come in!" Reid greeted the girls.

"Hey," Emily smiled. "Nora ready yet?"

"Should be through in a minute, but I'll warn you, today is not one of her best days." His face looked troubled.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Garcia asked frantically.

"Nothing has happened, but she's been having a lot of night terrors lately. Plus a few flashbacks and that makes for a tired and quiet Nora."

"We won't keep her out too long then." JJ said.

Reid nodded. "If it's too much hassle for you we can do this another day." He was more nervous about his daughter going on a shopping trip than he thought acceptable.

"Reid," Emily said assertively. "If it was a hassle, we wouldn't have asked. Nora will be fine with us, and we'll be fine with Nora."

"Besides," Garcia pointed out. "Nora's starting school the day after tomorrow and she has no equipment and not many clothes. Even though she says she has enough, a girl can never have too many clothes. Or shoes. Or accessories. Or-"

"Woah slow down Pen!" JJ held up her hands. "Remember that Nora isn't like that. No dresses, no skirts, no accessories."

"Have you two been talking?" Reid smirked. "I got the same lecture this morning over a bowl of Cheerios."

"Indeed we have." JJ smiled.

At that moment, Nora walked into the living room where they all stood. She wore all yellow, and was absent mindedly twisting a length of wooden blocks threaded on elastic.

"You ready?" Reid asked.

"Yes." Nora replied quietly.

"Be good and if you need to come home, just tell someone and the girls will bring you back."

"Okay." Nora yawned slightly. After putting the blocks down on the coffee table, she walked over to Reid. "Bye Dad." She mumbled and then headed out of the door. Prentiss and Garcia headed after her after quick goodbyes, but JJ stayed behind. She looked across to her friend.

"You don't need to worry about her."

"How did you know I was worried?" Reid asked quietly.

"Spence, it's not hard to see." She smiled gently. "Plus you look the spitting image of Will when it was Henry's first day of school." Reid cracked a small smile.

"Okay. Here's a list of what she needs and in what colours. Keep the receipts and I'll pay you the money when you get back. Also, she still sticks to a vague timetable and needs to have lunch at half past twelve." He explained

"Got it. By the way, Hotch mentioned something about coming to check on how you were doing, so be prepared." JJ warned. Reid winced.

"Yikes."

...

It wasn't long after JJ left that Reid once again got a knock on his door.

"Hotch! Hi, I thought you'd be with Jack seeing as you've just finished a case."

"He has a scout camping trip." Hotch explained as he was ushered to sit on the sofa.

"How've you and Nora been doing?" Reid knew that if he twisted the truth, Hotch would notice. But he did so anyway.

"We are fine. We're doing fine." Hotch glared at the genius sternly.

"Okay, okay! Nightmares and flashbacks crop up all over the place for both of us, but apart from that, we are fine." Reid caved under Hotch's signature glare.

"I know Nora will indefinitely still have flashbacks and such but I thought yours had stopped." Reid's boss now looked concerned.

"Flashbacks don't happen often now," Spencer said quietly. "But the nightmares aren't going to stop. Are they?"

"I wish I could say yes, but there would be no point in lying to a profiler." Hotch looked sympathetic. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"No," the genius answered swiftly. "I have my ways of dealing with it." Hotch didn't look convinced, but continued.

"Reid, you need to answer this truthfully," He warned. "Do you know more about what happened in Nora's past than the police?"

"Well apart from what they could deduce from physical injuries, the police know nothing so..."

"You're dodging around the answer."

"Yes. I know quite a lot." His face darkened.

"What do you want to do with the information?" Hotch asked carefully.

"I want to catch the monsters that hurt her." Rage now took over Reid's mind.

"I think we can do that Spencer."

...

"What about these?" Penelope asked, holding out some red strappy shoes. Nora, who had become slightly more talkative as she became comfortable with the girls, looked across to Prentiss.

"Please explain the major impracticalities that those shoes have to Garcia."

"I think that's a no, Pen." Emily chuckled.

"I know, these!" JJ held out a pair of cherry red converse that were patterned with miniscule Daleks and Tardis' (or Tardi?)

"I think they are practical enough." Nora nodded. "And they're really cool."

Prentiss smirked. "How did I manage to forget that you were thirteen?" She looked genuinely perplexed.

"Just how we forget Reid is human and not a robot." JJ joked.

"Hey!" Nora cried. "A minute ago you said how alike we were!"

"Yes." JJ nodded. "Because you are."

Garcia looked at her watch which read twelve twenty.

"We better head over to the food court so that we are eating by twelve thirty." She said.

"Okay. Any idea what you want Nora?" JJ asked the girl.

"Macaroni cheese and lemonade please." She asked.

"Figures." Prentiss smiled as she looked at Nora's clothes.

...

Two hours later with handfuls of bags, the four girls made their way out of the shopping centre. Nora seemed distracted, and when she followed Nora's eyeline, she understood. A toy shop was selling a new type of Rubik's cube that was supposed to be even harder than the original, as each individual brick spun, and had different numbers on each face. It was like a cross between a Rubik's cube and Sudoku.

"You like puzzles Nora?"

"Huh?" The girl shook her head. "Oh yeah. They help me concentrate. It's like my brain has so much attention span, and unless all of it is used up, I can't concentrate on anything."

"I don't think that Rubik's cube will take you long. But I have a few at home that were designed by actual proven genius'. They'll probably give you a challenge." Prentiss said. "I'm not really interested in them anymore 'cause I just couldn't figure them out. I could bring them over some time?"

"That would be great, thanks." Nora beamed.

"Anytime kid," Prentiss smiled." I want you to know that if you need anything, whether you want advise or just to talk, you can come to me. I know you have Reid and that's great, but, he is a guy and your parent. They may come a time when there's some stuff you just don't want to talk to him about."

"I'll keep it in mind." Nora gave a small half-smile. "Thank you."

_**How was that? Let me know, it helps a lot. What do you think? Tardis' or Tardi? Thanks for reading**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Just a note that anywhere that they visit in this chapter is entirely fictional. I don't live in America so I figured it would be better for me to make it up completely than mess up an actual place.**_

The squeak of shoes echoed around the cavernous rooms and long corridors. The whole building's interior shone blinding white and it gave Reid a headache. It was Sunday. Tomorrow Nora was starting school and he just didn't know how he felt about it. He knew she wanted to learn, and he knew that Nora was used to being completely independent, and was looking forward to having a part of her life she could control herself. But Spencer could remember his time at high school. He knew what happened to smart kids all too well, and wasn't sure how things would turn out. Bullies always looked for a reaction, and Nora couldn't always just egnore them. If they did certain things, she would have a meltdown. It would happen and it wouldn't be good. Reid tried to think positively though. Just because he had a rough school experience, didn't mean his daughter would.

"Hey look over there!" Nora whisper- yelled, pointing in the direction of an exhibit.

"That's a Dodo skeleton." He smiled.

"The Dodo bird or Raphus Cucullatus, was around twenty to fourty pounds heavy and was last widely seen in 1662."

"Cool, thanks." She said. "I only knew it's suspected year of extinction."

"This is the last room." Reid said, hoping he could acquire some aspirin.

"Oh yeah."

"Want to go to the art gallery?" He asked.

"Actually, I was wondering..."

"Yes?"

"I know we are going to Rossi's tonight, but could we maybe go home and just watch movies until then?" Nora rushed the question, not sure of how Reid would react.

"Sure that sounds great." The doctor smiled. Nora felt safe to voice her opinions.

"Are you up for as many sci-fi films we can fit in as possible?" The kid offered.

"Make at least one of them foreign and in the original language and we have ourselves a deal." Reid bargained.

"It'll have to be in Russian or German because those are my easiest. But okay deal."

...

A text message pinged on Garcia's phone. It was a picture from Emily with a caption:

Look what I found when I went to give Nora some puzzles.

It showed Reid and Nora curled on the sofa, asleep. Garcia squealed so shrilly, that he women on the opposite side of the internet café she was sat in, winced and abruptly paid and left.

Oh look at my two geniuses!

She typed back quickly. Garcia then shut down her own computer and paid before heading home. She smiled to herself as she remembered Nora laughing the day before when they were shopping. The women then decided it was a sound she needed to hear as much as possible.

...

The adults sat around a table in Rossi's living room. A poker game was in full force, and each person had varying amounts of nuts and pretzels piled in front of them depending on how successful they had been previously. Henry, Jack and Nora were supposedly playing Mario Kart in the game room and would occasionally come in to swipe various snacks, but they had been quiet for a while. Too quiet.

Suddenly, a loud knock sounded on the door, causing them all to jump.

"FBI! Open up!" A voice that sounded like Jack's yelled. No one moved out of sheer confusion.

"Awight, you leave us wif no choice!" Henry called.

The door was unlocked, and the two boys ran in. They both wore over sized FBI jackets they had found, and to everyone's surprise, Jack held out Hotch's credentials and Henry held out Will's. Nora then walked calmly into the room. She also wore a slightly less dress- like jacket and waved around Reid's ID.

"Just hand over the pretzels." She said steadily. "Hand over the pretzels and you won't be locked up for more time than you already have on your records."

Most of the team were pretty amused, but Hotch, Will and JJ were parents to little kids and knew what to do. The rest of the team followed suit.

"Okay! I give up just don't take the Peanuts!" Will cried dramatically, throwing the back of his hand to his forehead.

"Will how could you betray us?! How?!" Prentiss crooned as the two giggling boys scooped up handfuls of the snacks, even taking some peanuts, which Will replied with a groan. The two pint sized agents then ran up to Nora who grinned and nodded approvingly.

"Good job. I got you what you wanted so now please stop making me play Mario Kart." she requested.

"We stay to true to our word." Jack nodded. "You're free to go." Him and Henry trailed out of the room, but before they left, Henry turned to his new friend.

"Pleasuwe doing business wif you Nowa." He grinned.

"Anytime Agent." Nora replied, ruffling his hair.

As soon as the boys left, the entire room burst into laughter, including Nora.

"That was priceless, I would have done anything to video it!" Rossi forced out through his chuckles.

"Don't kids normally play Knights in shining armour?" Morgan laughed.

"Not ours." Hotch grinned. Even he had to admit, it was pretty funny.

"They looked so cute in those jackets!" Penelope squealed. "I want to hug the stuffing out of them." Will wiped a tear from his eye. "I wouldn't put it past them, they meant business. Why did they do that anyway Nora?"

"They wanted to play BAU." She answered. "I just improved it with the promise of no more Nintendo games."

Hotch's grin dropped through the floor as he searched through his pockets. "Nora? How did you get our credentials?" The girl simply tapped the side of her nose.

"They will be returned. But the way in which we got your credentials is classified to anyone not on the mission." There was a brief panic in which every adults frantically made sure they weren't missing anything. When they we reassured, they looked up to see Nora in tears of laughter at their panic.

Throughout the night, Reid watched his daughter talk to his friends, challenge Jack to endless games of connect four, and toss around Henry who had seemed to take a shine to her, his worries were ceased. He knew that school was not going to be an easy hurdle, but he knew Nora had a family to help her through it.

_**How was that? Thanks for all the reviews, and thanks to guest that answered my query on what I now k ow to be TARDISes**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**This chapter and the one that will follow it soon was originally one, but it seemed too long so I split them. Ironically, this chapter is now a bit shorter than usual, apologies.**_

"Ready?"

The sudden sound made Nora jump out of her thoughts and into reality. She then noticed that they had arrived. Reid had parked opposite the school which was now bustling with pupils. She took a deep breath.

"Yeah. Are you?"

Her Dad smirked slightly. "I don't actually know. I don't know."

"Well, even if both of us felt like residing to a Hobbit hole for the rest of eternity, it's kind of the law that I go so we might as well not be late." Nora got halfway through a laugh, but then her smile faltered slightly.

"Hey. What're you thinking about." The profiler became concerned.

"The likelihood of me being ostracized." She answered casually.

Reid gave out an exaggerated sigh.

"Thank god. If you had replied 'Boys' I think I would've imploded." The two laughed for a while.

"Seriously though, you're worried about peers?" the parent in him had taken over.

"Kinda," Nora mumbled. "I'm not good with other kids."

"Jack thinks you're cool. Henry practically idolizes you."

"That's different." She was barely audible. "They aren't old enough to pick up on what's wrong with me."

"Nothing is wrong with you, why would you think that?" Reid lay a hand on Nora's head, his fingers stroking the brown locks.

"I'm... Different." She shyly stared at her feet.

"You are unique. I'm not denying that Nora, but no one is different because no one is the same." Spencer pulled his daughter into his side.

"Come on." He whispered. "We have to go."

...

The principal had gone through everything they needed to know and seemed like a decent human being. She explained the various dress codes and rules and told Nora how things would work for her with her being almost five years younger than her classmates.

"We try to mix all the kids together, but high school cliques are unavoidable. The most we can do is stop any conflicts between groups." The women smiled at Nora meaning that the information was aimed at her. She then turned to Reid.

"Based on the questionnaire that Nora filled out, I've asked a pupil who I think will get on with her, to show her around. It's a standard procedure."

Reid, who was slightly annoyed at the way Nora was being patronized, turned to his daughter.

"How's that sound?" She just nodded.

At that moment, a boy who looked around seventeen knocked at the door. He had jaw length blonde hair, and wore a batman T-shirt.

The principal smiled.

"Oswald, come in."

"Still Oz Mrs Harriot." The teenager joked.

"Oh I know, I am merely trying to annoy you." The women grinned. "This is Nora. I was hoping you could show her around and maybe introduce her to your motley crew down in the music department."

"Sure." Oz paused for a moment as he looked at Nora's red T-shirt with a raven graphic and her new converse. "I'm pretty sure you'll fit in." He nodded warmly. "What do you play?"

"Cello." Nora said, for some reason not particularly shyly.

"Awesome." He beamed excitedly. "We have been looking for a cello for a while."

The bell rang shrilly.

"Where are you?" Oz asked, taking Nora's timetable. "G6. Wait, I'm in G6."

Nora gave him a sideways glance.

"I'm a senior."

The boy let out a long whistle then pointed out the door.

"Onward!" he cried, then remembered Reid. "Oh, um I'll wail outside."

Reid pulled Nora into him, not wanting to let go.

"I think you'll do good here." He whispered to her.

"I know."

"Be good." He ruffled her hair.

"Reeeeiiiiiid!" Nora whined, swatting his hand away.

"See you tonight."

"Bye."

As Reid watched his daughter walk down the corridor, a red Cello case on her back, the Principal placed a kind hand on his shoulder.

"Do not worry Dr Reid, Oz and his friends are great kids, they are somewhat outcasts sadly, but they are great kids."

"I'm still having a minor panic attack." Reid chuckled softly.

"I will leave you with a promise that the faculty and I will be keeping an eye on Nora Dr Reid. She is a very special child." Mrs Harriot said calmly.

"Indeed she is."

_**How was that? Hate it? Love it? Let me know. Reviews are highly appreciated**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	14. Chapter 14

Nora followed Oz down the corridor, as he pointed out various places on the way. He had just stopped explaining the cafeteria system before he realized she was carrying a cello.

"I'm sorry but we don't have time to drop that off before chemistry. But we have a free period after that, so we can head down and I'll introduce you to people. You okay with that?"

"Sure." Nora answered. "It's not that heavy."

Oz looked a bit embarrassed but then spat out "Did your Dad have a gun?"

"Oh yeah he did. He works in the FBI."

"Cool. So don't mess with him?"

"I wouldn't advise it. I mean, Reid is harmless but his friend Derek..."

Oz laughed and then looked up at a room number.

"Oh, we're here.

...

Chemistry was pretty uneventful. Nora got a few weird stares and some idiot tripped her, but all in all, it hadn't been too bad. She now followed Oz down a labyrinth of corridors until they reached the corner of the school. He pushed open a door, and they were instantly hit with noise. There were a few yells of "Hey Oz" but mainly, the sound that filled the room came from various instruments being played.

"This is it." Oz beamed. "Home."

Nora replied simply with a grin. The room was practically wallpapered in posters of every type of pop culture and there was instruments everywhere.

"Right, put your cello down somewhere." the boy instructed. He then motioned over a boy his age with curly dark hair and glasses.

"Nora, this is Quincy. He'll more than likely take you under his wing on the music side of things because he plays both electric and double bass. Quince this is Nora. She plays cello."

Quincy's eyes shot out wide.

"You're serious? Awesome we need a cello." His eyes wandered to her feet.

"And she likes Dr Who. She stays."

"Um hi?" Nora said uncertainly.

"Q, slow down, don't kill her with words when she's only just got here. Jeez."

"Sorry." the boy looked apologetic. "Hi, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Where's my evil twin?" Oz said to Quincy who pointed in a general direction. Nora thought he was kidding, but then a blonde haired girl crept up behind Oz and threw herself on him.

"Ow get off me Hanna!" He span quickly so that she flew off. Nora tensed. She was sure that Oz was going to hurt the girl. She started to blink hard and fidget.

Quincy noticed.

"Nora that's Oswald's twin Hanna. She plays guitar and if we poke her for long enough she'll sing now and again. They always fight like this but it's just a game okay? Oz'd never hurt her intentionally."

Nora nodded, then jumped when her phone rang. Quincy pointed to a store room.

"It'll be quieter."

Once inside, Nora flipped open the phone.

"Dad?"

"Hey Nora how're you doing?" Reid's gentle voice filled the line.

"I'm doing good. I've made friends." Nora thought it odd for Spencer to call her. Even if it was her first day. "What's going on?" She asked.

"I've got a case. It's in Florida." Nora could hear about a ton of guilt in her father's words.

"Oh. Who am I with tonight?"

"Garcia." Reid answered. "I'm so sorry Nora. It's your first day and-"

"Dad," Nora cut him off. "I'll be fine. I'm used to my own space. I like having my own time, is what I mean."

"If you're sure," he replied, though he didn't sound convinced. "But I doubt you'll get any. JJ and Will have had babysitting problems so Garcia's got Henry as well."

"Really? Cool I think it'll be nice to be around a little ball of energy for a bit. It gives me a break from school."

"Nora? Are things okay?" Reid asked quietly. "Really okay?"

"It was weird at first. I mean people are obviously not going to be inclined to like me because of my age. But then this guy tripped me up and Oz went all big brother. He says I have to make sure I go to lessons with friends and not on my own." Nora laughed slightly as she realized she had protection from seventeen year-olds.

Reid read her thoughts and chuckled as well.

"Well you listen to Oz. He seems like a good kid."

"He is Reid. I'll see you in a couple days." anxiety suddenly gripped her as she realized how long a couple days was.

"Okay, I'll Skype you sometime tonight." the genius said, though he wasn't sure what Skype was. JJ had offered to set it up for him.

"Right." Nora paused. "I love you Dad."

Spencer's heart jumped as he heard words he wasn't used to.

"Love you Nora."

...

At the end of the day, Nora set off out of school. She looked for the green Ford, but remembered the case and stopped herself. She carried on walking, looking for Garcia, but as soon as her foot hit the pavement Nora was hit by a four foot lump.

"Nooowaaa!" Henry yelled as he was thrown onto the teenagers back.

"Hey bud!" She greeted the giggling boy. "Where's your Aunty Pen?"

"Ovew thewe." He pointed, and a flamboyant silhouette could be seen.

"Then let's go!"

The two walked over to Garcia who instantly reached forward and hugged both of them, shocking Nora a bit.

Garcia quickly saw the girl flince and felt immense guilt.

"Oh gosh my mini Reid, I'm sorry I didn't think its just, I hug everyone."

"It's fine Garcia I overreacted."

"We going to the pawk. You come Nowa?" Henry piped up.

"Sure, little man." Nora smiled as he was buckled into his carseat.

As the car door was closed, and Henry was listening to a dinosaur tape, Nora could finally get information on Reid's case.

"Aren't you on the case?" She asked the tech analyst.

"Nope. It's a serial killer in this weird drewid camp thing. The camp is so old that everyone there was raised there from birth. No electronics or contact with society means no work for me."

"Oh," Nora tried to look uninterested, but failed hopelessly.

"I've told you too much. Don't tell Reid you know all this."

"Whatever."

Garcia snorted at Nora's sudden age appropriate response.

...

Over in Florida, Reid's phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he scrambled to answer it.

"Garcia! What's wrong? Nora?" He garble incoherently.

"Hey genius chill. I just wondered if you wanted a picture of Nora?"

"Nora doesnt have her picture taken." Reid replied matter of factly. "I have one picture of her on my desk, and her face is covered with a book."

"I was sneaky." Garcia grinned. "Wanna see? I've emailed it to you."

"Thanks Garcia. I've got to go."

"No problem, I know how it is."

Almost as soon as he hung up, Reid's email was open and he smiled to see something in his inbox. Nora and Henry were sat in a basket swing, and Nora was laughing. Any worries about his daughter were put to sleep.

JJ then walked into the room.

"Spence, has Garcia sent you-?"

Her friend's eyes shone.

"Yes. She has."

_**How was that? Thanks to the many reviewers, it's great to hear feedback. **_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Hey! Just letting you know that this chapter has a time- jump of around two weeks.**_

Reid smiled to himself as he looked up from his paperwork at the pictures on his desk. Nora was no further inclined to having her picture taken as she had been when he first adopted her, but Garcia had made sure she got some photographical evidence of the girl's existence for Reid and they now adorned his desktop.

Things were going good. Nora was still panicky at times, but she'd settled into school, and the routine helped her. They'd wake up at seven thirty, eat breakfast and drive to the school. After school, Nora would have two hours of free time to do what she wanted as Reid knew that independence was a lot to her, and then she would meet him at the BAU and they went home. Nora's class work was impeccable, and she had decided to do a stint and both CalTech and Julliard. She just had to figure out which order. That is why when Spencer Reid's phone rang, he thought nothing of it. But he should have.

"Dr Reid?" A voice he recognised as Mrs Doben asked weakly.

"Um yes. What's the matter?" The colour drained from his face.

"You need to come to the school right away. It's Nora."

Forgetting manners completely, Reid slammed down the phone and began to put on his coat as Hotch walked past.

"Hotch, it's Nora. I need to go now, I'll make up the time, I promise!"

Seeing the franic face of the man he thought of as his younger brother, Hotch nodded stiffly.

"Okay. But only because it seems serious and we don't have a case."

Reid nodded gratefully and half ran out of the office.

...

As he entered the school, Mrs Doben rushed up to him.

"Nora?" He half asked half pleaded.

"She's just through in the quiet room." The women ushered him towards a door. "We just can't calm her down."

Reid wondered what the hell had gone on to upset Nora so much, but was currently more concerned in making sure his daughter was safe.

The young doctor opened the door to find a small white room and saw Nora curled in the corner scratching her arms and hitting her head on the wall.

"Woah no!" He yelled, rushing across the room and catching her arms. Nora screamed at his touch and tried to wriggle free but her father held a surprisingly tight grip. Reid spoke comforting words and reassurances until Nora wore herself out, and by the time the tiny girl crashed onto Spencer's chest, it wasn't just her with tears streaming down her cheeks. Reid held her close, their equally skinny ribs colliding. Then it hit him.

"Nora? What're you wearing?"

"They put it on me." She sobbed. "I want to take it off but I don't know where my clothes are."

Nora, the girl who wore jeans and sci-fi t-shirts sat in a pink dress.

Reid dug in his go- bag and pulled out blue jeans and jumper, as he had taken to keeping a spare of the days colour, just in case. He turned around whilst she changed, and soon felt a weight on his back. He turned again and Nora clung to him.

"They made me wear stuff like that when they...hurt me. And then I was there and he was there and he-" she whispered quickly, getting worked up again.

"Shhh. You're here with me, you are not there Nora, you're with me. Tell me that Nor." He mumbled gently. Hearing her shaky reply, he braced himself for what was sure to come.

"What happened?"

"The guys went to a driving course instead of gym. I couldn't go, it's not legal." She spoke almost inaudibly.

"That didn't answer my question." Reid's tone became more serious.

"Some girls cornered me in the changing rooms. They put it on me." Nora looked away, embarrassed

"Um, who?" It was becoming harder and harder for Spencer not to scream in anger.

"I don't know." She whispered.

"Bull, Nora Reid. You tell me now." And though the words were angry, his voice cracked as he spoke. Why was his kid so scared that she was protecting her tormenters? He wasn't supposed to let that happen.

"Please?" She begged quietly, her voice hoarse. "I just want to go home."

She looked so helpless and worn down. Her size added even more to the fact that she looked about ten. Reid pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"We are going to talk about this, and these people will meet their consequences. But not now. You don't need that." The man scooped the wiry child up, and lolled against him, asleep. She wasn't coming back to this school, that, the Doctor was sure of.

_**How was that? For various reasons, I struggled to write this chapter, so feedback would as always, be much obliged. Over and Out!**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	16. Chapter 16

Reid walked into the bullpen quickly, and though he saw Prentiss give a small wave, the young man continued towards his desk, picked up some paperwork, and turned to leave. Spencer wanted it all to be over as soon as possible. Then he could get back to Nora. She needed him.

"Reid? My office."

The doctor sighed as the words rang out from his boss' mouth. That was one thing he couldn't egnore.

Sitting down in the chair opposite Hotch's, Reid noticed the concern in the man's behavior.

"How're you doing?" Hotch asked.

"Do you mean since you last asked, or of late?"

"Reid." the stern man used just one word to warn Spencer of his tone.

"I don't know. Everything about the adoption is great, I think it is the best choice I have made. I also feel guilt. I should have kept her safe. When Nora became mine, I promised myself I would never let her have the same childhood as me. I failed." The words tumbled out of Reid, suggesting that he had been thinking about the same question for a while.

"Why do you think that?" Hotch said, in a monotone that showed none of his thoughts of all the feelings that had just been thrown at him.

"Those kids... That school... I should never have sent her." Reid struggled with a suitable answer.

"Could you have known?"

"No but I-"

"Could you have known?" Hotch interrupted firmly.

Reid hung his head in defeat. "No."

"So is it logical to feel guilt, or blame yourself?"

"No."

Satisfied that the genius was now a little more higher in his self esteem, Hotch relaxed a little, but not yet fully.

"Nora?"

"She briefly told me what happened when I picked her up, then fell asleep. She's stopped talking again." Reid whispered,'again' referring to his daughter's first two months of being at a group home.

Hotch noticeably sighed sadly.

"Where is she?"

"At JJ's. She's off work with a sick Henry. I'm going home with Nora after I go to the school."

Hotch nodded quickly.

"Do you need anything Spencer? Anything at all?"

"I don't know. I'm just tired of this Hotch. Why did she have to have this happen. Why her?" Reid's voice dripped thick with sadness.

"I don't know. She doesn't deserve any of this. You tell her that from me. And tell her that she can call if she needs to talk about absolutely anything"

Reid's head dropped as he trailed out of the room

"I'll tell her."

...

Oz already sat in the small room when Reid entered. He looked up sharply as if coming out of a daze.

"What do you need?"

"Hello to you too, Oz." Reid smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry it's just, we're all realm worried. She's like our sister." The teenager tapped nervously on the table.

"She'll be okay. But Nora's not talking. Mrs. Doben said I could talk to you because, I just need to fix this." the father looked at the kid with pleading eyes. "What is going on?"

Oz's mood turned dark instantly.

"Jeez..." He muttered under his breath. "You want me to answer that? 'Cause it won't do you any good."

"Oz," Reid said weakly. 'Just help me."

"It's a game for them." the words sounded bitter and harsh from the boy's mouth.

"What?"

Oz made eye contact and his jaw stiffened. "They call it volcano. First people to make a kid 'blow' as they call it, wins."

Reid felt sick.

"Who?" was all he could manage.

"The popular kids and anyone who doesn't want to be _lunch _for the popular kids. It doesn't leave a lot of people not playing." His words now threatened tears from him.

"How long?"

"Since she started. I don't actually know how much Nora knows about it. I think we deflected most of their attempts pretty well."

"How?" Reid was now curious to what other abuse his daughter could have suffered.

"First it was as simple as picking her up when she got tripped and helping her laugh it off. Then it got harder as they found more things Nora didn't like. They even went as far as making sure she could never eat food in the day's colour." Oz sounded annoyed at the pettiness of his peers. " I mean it _could _have been a coincidence, but I've never seen the entire year eat salad on a green day. Or any day for that matter." He smirked slightly. "We have faked so many food allergies to get Nora food in the right colour."

Reid felt numb at what he was hearing. This was nothing like his expectations, but he didn't want to let it show to the obviously upset Oz in front of him.

"It wasn't you're fault." He said quietly to the boy whose eyes now filled with tears.

"Maybe." He whispered. "But I definetly felt responsible when I was the target a few years ago. Nora will too."

Reid slowly raised from his chair. He knew enough.

"Thank you Oz." He nodded quietly.

Oz gave a sideways glance.

"Is she coming back?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I need to discuss it with Nora, and she needs to be talking for me to do so."

The teenager sighed in agreement.

"You try send her back please. We aren't all like those Jerks."

"I know Oz, if it makes you feel any better, before meeting with you, in my head, Nora was not coming back to this school. But now? I'm conflicted."

"Better than dead set on sending her to Europe." Oz shrugged in the way only a seventeen year old can.

_**How was that? I do plan to have a chapter with the rest of the BAU helping Nora, but I felt that I needed to explain what had been happening.**_

_**Please review, it helps a load.**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	17. Chapter 17

JJ sighed as she walked into the living room and saw the exact same sight she had seen for the past two hours. Nora sat stiffly on the edge of the sofa, and had not moved an inch since she had arrived. The girl was as white as a sheet and had clearly not slept. Spencer had mentioned nightmares but even if he hadn't have said anything, anyone could have guessed. JJ knew that Nora wasn't going to magically pour her heart out to her, and she didn't expect that, but she needed to stop her looking so damn frightened.

"Nora? I want to talk to you." The woman said in a quiet, but reassuring tone. Nora's gaze flickered to JJ, and then to one of Henry's trucks on the coffee table.

"Henry is out for the count." JJ explained, and didn't wait for the answer that she knew would never come.

"Nora, I am so sorry. You don't deserve any of this, but I can tell you that you are safe. All of us care about you a great deal, and if you need help, you need only ask. Now I can't change what they did to you. I wish I could. But I can help you make things better. We all can."

JJ stole a glance at the teenager and saw her shaking her head. It was a miniscule action, but JJ saw it, and it teared her apart.

"Yes Nora." She spoke firmly. "Let us help. Please."

The shaking stopped.

"Nora? Nora can I...?" JJ paused. "Can I hug you?" She finally whispered.

No sooner did the words leave her tongue, did Nora latch on to the profiler, her bony frame tight and desperate. JJ matched her embrace, small amounts of shock drifting around her brain. She had been highly pessimistic about the outcome of her question, but it seemed that it was what Nora needed. She ran her fingertips through the girl's soft, brown locks, and held her close.

...

A Doctor Who marathon was in full force. Nora was folded into Reid's side, and he smiled a little. Since the girl had been picked up from JJ's, she seemed a lot less on edge and would accept affection. Nora still wasn't speaking, but with time and patience, she would.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Morgan!" Reid exclaimed as he revealed his friend.

"Hey Reid." Morgan smiled. "How is she?"

"Better."

"Here's the thing." Morgan reasoned. "I want to help her. Desperately. But I'm not good at talking to people about feelings. Not really." the man looked a little guilty. "But what I can do," Morgan grinned. "Is take her mind of things."

Reid gave a sly smile.

"What're you suggesting?"

"Lazer tag and pizza." the older man said matter of factly.

"Excellent."

...

The three strolled through the relatively quiet mall until they saw the sign for lazer tag. Following various arrows, they came to a stop in front of a neon sign advertising 'America's best lazer tag establishment'.

Reid highly doubted that this was the case, but the group of kids stood next to it, brought out a grin on his face.

"Hey! Nora!" a kid Reid thought was Quincy waved and walked over to the beaming girl.

"This guy said he was gonna pay for us lot to play lazer tag. He said you'd be here and you are. Thinking about it, he could have been a kidnapper and we could've been dead right now. But you're with him so I'm guessing he's safe."

"Hey motor mouth!" a girl with raven hair walked over. "Is Nora... Oh there you are kid!"

"Jess, I don't talk _that _much." Quincy whined.

"Shut up Quince. I'll hit you." Jess quipped and then turned to Nora.

"How're you doing?"

Nora nodded, and then was abruptly picked up from behind. Hands covered her eyes, and a weird voice using a Batman impression asked:

"Guess who?"

Nora held her thumb and index finger in the shape of an 'O', and the voice chuckled.

"You always get it!" Oz grinned, setting her back down on her feet.

The group of kids continued to muck around and chatter, so while Nora was busy, Morgan spoke to Reid.

"I'm fine with them lot later tagging without us, and then meeting us in the food court. What about you pretty boy?" the man had remembered that the dark and the possibility of being crept up on were not his friend's favourite things.

Reid looked hesitant, then answered by nodding his head gratefully.

"I mean, Nora's friends are fifteen to seventeen years old and it's lazer tag. It's not like we're leaving seven thirteen year olds unsupervised in a casino or anything." Morgan pointed out.

"Yeah," Reid evidently relaxed. "They'll be fine."

...

Nora poked her head around the corner of the barrel, that was entirely black, apart from a red cross. She aimed to hit Hanna, before feeling her own vest vibrate as she was hit from behind. She spun quickly to see a violinist called Owen run away cackling. This was fun. Nora hadn't expected it, as she rarely enjoyed age appropriate activities, but- her thought was interuppted as Oz's head poked up from behind a crate near her. She went to shoot, but became victim of a hair- ruffling attack from Quincy.

"Stop it Quince!" She got out between laughs and then gasped abruptly. This wasn't part of her plan. Bobby always told her to "Buck up and stay quiet", and that had kept her safe. For a while. Nora felt herself slipping away from reality, but Hanna pulled her back.

"Hey are you okay Nor?" the older girl looked concerned.

Nora nodded as enthusiastically as she could muster and hoped it would work.

"Come here," Hanna pulled her into a hug. "Are you sure?" She felt a head nod on her shoulder. "You just wait until you're ready to talk okay? Don't push yourself."

After nodding once more, Nora was released, but soon after, the lights were all turned on quickly.

"Game's over folks!" A voice echoed over a speaker. "Here is one last song for your pleasure as you walk out."

Nora's panic instantly dissolved as the first chords of the Time Warp started. A week ago, at a twenty hour movie marathon with Oz and Co. she had watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time. Although she had found the film a little hard to process, the music and sci-fi-ness of the film had won her over. In the music department, Rocky Horror was a right of passage, and it had been proven on a number of occasions, that if any of them heard the Time Warp, they would drop everything and do it.

This time was no different, and as Nora jumped to the left, and stepped to the right, laughing with her friends, she couldn't help think, that maybe Bobby was wrong.

_**How was that? I couldn't help but throw a bit of Rocky in there. Nora's group of friends are loosely based on mine, and we often spend our lunch Time Warping**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	18. Chapter 18

_She tried to camouflage into the corner of the room, but it was no use. The door burst off it's hinges and a shadow filled the doorway._

_"Come on." A reedy voice chirped. It then turned sinister. "Come to me, or I'll come to you and I promise I'll hurt you more than I'm already going to."_

_She whimpered slightly, still not moving._

_"Right, I'm coming over." The stocky figure stormed over. In two swift moves, he picked up the girl by her hair, and twisted her arm until it snapped. Her screams and his sadistic belly laughs merged together to create an ugly symphony that was deafening._

"Nora? Come on Nora wake up, I'm getting scared." Reid pleaded as he tried to contain his thrashing daughter. Her eyes snapped open and she took a minute to identify the orange walls as her bedroom.

"Dad?" Nora's eyes darted around until they found Reid's.

"Scared." the shaking child let out in a breath as she clung to him.

Without a word, Reid led Nora into the other room and put on an episode of Star Trek. It wasn't that early and he knew that neither of them would get anymore sleep. Reid felt helpless. He couldn't save Maeve and now he couldn't keep his child from being terrified and hurt. But he could wrap Nora in his arms and calm her down. For the time being, it would have to do.

Nora saw the dark circles around her father's eyes. Her gaze fell to the coffee table and when she saw the picture of Maeve that lay there, she remembered. She knew that Reid hadn't wanted her to know, but the other day, Spencer had asked her to check the time of one of her many doctor's appointments. She looked in his jotter, and in small, sad handwriting, she had seen it.

_Maeve's Birthday._

Nora clung to her dad all the more, still trying to relive her pain, but also Reid's. She didn't know what to do. If Reid hadn't told her. He didn't want her to know and she respected that. But, the girl couldn't let him grieve alone.

"Dad?" She called softly.

"Yes."

"Will you tell me about Maeve?"

Nora heard Reid hold back choke.

"What do you want to know?" The man replied.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes."

So Reid did. He told Nora every fact about Maeve that he knew. His photographic served him well, and he even recalled some of their payphone conversations, word for word. Spencer told her about Maeve's jokes, her job, what she liked, what she didn't. And then he told Nora about Zugzwang. The eerie voice, the search, and finally the warehouse. As he talked, it hurt. But it helped. For Reid, each of these memories had the highest views in his head, and it never hurt any less when he hit play.

"You really love her."

Hearing the murmur, Reid shifted to a more comfortable position.

"So much." He whispered. It was all he could trust himself to say.

Nora nodded sleepily. She needed to tell Reid that she knew. Thinking quickly, she began to tap out Morse code on his arm.

_I know what day it is._

Reid carried on watching as if he hadn't noticed. But she soon felt his thumb on her forearm.

_I know._

_Are you mad?_

_No. Can you talk to me?_

Nora turned to face him.

"Yes."

"Are you mad?" Reid asked her.

"No. You had your reasons. she shrugged.

"Does code make talking easier?"

Nora nodded.

"We'll work on that."

"Are you going to see her today?"

"No. Her family will be there and they didn't really know about me. I wouldn't want to spoil things. I'll go tomorrow." Reid explained somewhat sadly.

"Can I go?"

"Of course."

Silence filled the air, until Reid remembered the reason they were sat on the sofa at half six in the morning.

"Want to talk about it?" He asked gently.

Nora's pale grey eyes locked with his brown ones.

"Bobby was around for three years. He dislocated my arm nine times."

She didn't have to say any more for Reid to tighten his hold on her securely, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He didn't answer her. He knew that she wouldn't want him to.

"How do you feel right now?" Reid asked patiently.

"I don't know." she whispered.

"Can you give me a situation in the past when you felt like this?"

"When we went to court."

"Nervous. You don't need to feel nervous." he said, concern dripping off the doctor's words.

Nora flinched away.

"Okay! I'm not nervous I promise!" She shook visibly.

"Hey, hey!" Reid soothed. "Calm down, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that you shouldn't have to feel that awful emotion."

Nora's tension winded down, and she returned to her Dad's side.

Reid said nothing, as there was nothing more to say. He had a day of grieving ahead of him, but he also wondered who had made his daughter so broken.

_**How was that? Sorry it's been a while. I don't like to make excuses, but half of this chapter spontaneously disappeared, which was quite a large inconvenience. Thank you to everyone who has followed or reviewed, I was not expecting anything like this.**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	19. Chapter 19

The pair made their way into the cemetery wiggling numb fingers and trying to keep a grip on the lillies they had bought. Nora looked up at the sign above the gate and stopped in her tracks.

"Reid?"

The father noticed her stiff posture and became concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"My um- H-Helena's buried here." the girl stammered with wide eyes.

"Hey. You don't have to do this." Reid uttered gently.

"I do. I can do it." The answer was stubborn and blunt.

"Okay. Would you like to see her? Helena, I mean." The doctor stood patiently, waiting.

"I don't know. Usually people want to see their loved one's graves as a type of closure. A way to accept their death. But I've accepted it. It was in the bathtub." Nora spat the last words quickly, as if it was a guilty thought that she never intended to voice.

"How about we go see her before Maeve?" Reid suggested. "That way if you have anything left to say to Helena, whether it be kind or not, it's off your chest and you can forget about it."

Nora took a deep breath.

"Okay Dad."

...

Nora ran her hand over the top of the cool, marble headstone.

"Um, hello." She muttered. "I don't know if it's Helena or Margret, but if it's Helena, I'm sorry you couldn't fix things. I know neither of you were the mothering type, you didn't really try to raise me. But you didn't deserve to die. you wanted it."

Nora took a step back, and locked her hand with Reid's. She felt sad, but she couldn't cry, it was the kind of sadness that happens when a minor character on TV or a distant never-before-seen relative dies. You're sad, but you didn't really know them that much.

Reid cleared his throat.

"That was very brave. I'm proud of you Nor. She would be too."

Nora shook her head.

"No she wouldn't."

The man just sighed, sadly.

...

Reid sounded choaked as he spoke aloud in front of Maeve's grave cut out of igneous rock.

"Hello," he said softly. "It's me, it's um Spencer. I want to apologise. I've been told it wasn't my fault, but it feels like it, so I'm very sorry. I miss you all the time, and I still read the Poe book that you gave me at least once a month. I've done what we talked about sometimes, I've adopted a kid Maeve! She is truly amazing and I wish you could meet her, you would love her so much. She is everything to me. I want you to know that I'm doing okay. I will love you eternally. Happy Birthday."

He then lay down the Lillie's with all the other flowers that adorned the base of the stone. Nora did the same, and the two stood, Reid's arm around her shoulders, as if he was constantly protecting her.

For a few moments, silence loomed, only slightly beaten by far off traffic.

"Why did you want me?" Nora asked suddenly.

Reid looked a little sad, but also as if he was eventually expecting the question some day.

"I will answer. But first, why _wouldn't _I want you?"

Nora looked at him nervously, hands fidgeting, and then dove off into a spiel.

"Syble will probably never be able to socially interact successfully, she has severe trust issues and as shown difficulty expressing and reciving affection. Syble struggles participating in team games and any other activities with peers."

"Where did you get told that?" Reid asked angrily, already guessing it had something to do with CPS.

"It was in my file whilst I wasn't talking." Nora whispered distantly.

"I know that it isn't true Nora. And even if it was, I would still have adopted you. You are smart, and cool, you are gifted in so many ways, and you are mine."

"Why did you even come and meet me?" She asked, looking genuinely perplexed. "Their are plenty of cute, little kids that have no past trauma and aren't socially inept."

Spencer tried to hide his shock at how Nora knew exactly what most foster parents looked for.

"One," he began. " Never call yourself socially inept again. Two, when I first decided I would adopt, I made a promise to myself that I would make sure my kid didn't have my childhood. Or not childhood as it turned out. When I was told about you, and I heard your story, I wanted to help you. The foster system is like a sieve, and you'd be flour through it."

Nora looked unconvinced.

"My biological mother didn't want me. Why would someone else?"

Reid considered standing up for Helena or Margret, but realized that Nora was right. They hadn't wanted her and she was probably told that everyday. Reid reached down and pushed up Nora's fringe so that he could make eye contact.

"Accept it Nora." he tried to make the girl smile. "I love you and you are stuck with me."

_**How was that? Let me know. I also want to correct myself from the previous chapter where I said Reid had a photographic memory instead of an idetic one. I'm currently writing something where a character has a photographic memory and I guess it decided to make a guest appearance! Thanks for reading**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	20. Chapter 20

Reid bit into a waffle and once again twitched the fingers on his right hand. He and Nora had, like so many times before, fell asleep on the sofa whilst watching movies at stupid times in the morning, in order to ward off night terrors. After waking up with all his weight on his arm, the young man still had faint pins and needles. The weight of Maeve was looming (not that it ever went away) and Spencer was satisfied with having a quiet day with Nora. His daughter still slept amongst a nest of blankets, and the surface area she took up concerned Reid incredibly. Nora's thick, tangled hair alone, probably made up for about a fifth of her body weight, and she was the average height of a kid three years younger than her at the least.

He was so deep in wandering thoughts, that when his phone rang, the doctor almost didn't notice. With a quick glance at the caller, Reid flipped open the ancient, but perfectly working mobile.

"Hotch?"

"Spencer." His boss's serious tone was a little stressed. "I know you take a couple days off this time of the year, but I think you're going to want to come in with Nora."

"Hotch what's going on?" The panic crept up Reid's spine.

"I'll explain when-"

"Sir!" Reid cut him off. "What's going on?"

Hotch had thought to warn Reid on his tone, but the second sentence sounded panicky and worried.

"The police got a guy last night, for being drunk and disorderly. He had pictures of Nora on his person. Not good ones. He referred to her as "His girl". Garcia ran a scan on him and came up with a match. It's a Mr Robert Watkins. It's Bobby, Reid."

Reid's heart stopped in his chest, and all his rationality went out the window.

"Hotch, you can't let him take her. He hurt her. Aaron you can't..." his words drifted off as panic overtook.

"Spencer." Hotch said with the appropriate amounts of both gentleness and firmness only he seemed to be able to balance.

"He will not get anywhere near her. He won't even see her, but before we do anything, she needs to say that it's him. It won't take long, and it might help her to know that he's caught."

"O-okay sir." Reid breathed slowly, calming himself. "We can be at the office by eleven, just let me talk to her first, and know that if she doesn't want to come, we won't come."

"I understand, but try best you can. See you later Spencer."

"Goodbye."

Hearing rustling to his left, Reid looked across to where Nora now sat up, awake.

"Dad?" She asked, sounding nervous.

"Nora," Reid moved to sit next to her. He thought he should just tell her. "Last night, the police arrested a man foe being drunk and disorderly. They think it's Bobby."

Nora's face lost all it's colour. She tucked her knees up to her chin.

"Hey." When Reid failed to get a response, he placed a light hand on her arm. The girl flinched, then made eye contact.

"I'll go pack my bags." She whispered, looking melancholy.

"What? I need you to explain what you're thinking." Reid's brow furrowed.

"I got put in the system because I was abandoned. Bobby's back now so I suppose you'll want me to go back."

All Spencer wanted to do was pull his daughter close, but he knew that right now, it wouldn't help.

"No. I don't want you to go with Bobby. I don't want you to leave because he didn't look after you and he hurt you."

Nora looked relieved but still a little skeptical.

Reid sighed deeply.

"Nora was the third sentence I said truthful?" He asked patiently.

Nora slowly nodded.

"Do you think I would like to be a good parent?"

"You are a good parent." Nora nodded.

Reid smiled to himself.

"Thank you. Now would I be a good parent if I let you go back to Bobby?"

"No." Realization dawned in Nora. "Oh." She mumbled, looking to her feet. Suddenly, she fully processed what Reid had told her.

"Dad?" She asked once again, though sounding five years younger.

Wordlessly, Spencer raised his arm, which Nora quickly ducked under. She shook with fear.

"Would you be able to say if it's him?" he softly said.

Nora pulled closer.

"You don't have to be face to face." Reid pointed out. "He can be behind one way glass. Does that make it better?"

"I'll do it." The girl mumbled, from beneath a sheet she had pulled over herself.

Reid frowned slightly at how quickly Nora's emotions had switched off, but figured that she was quite possibly having an inward battle on how to act.

"Shall we get it over with?"

"Okay."

They took the stairs down to the ground floor, when Nora looked up to Reid.

"I'm just going to use the bathroom." She whispered, looking a little embarrassed.

Reid pointed to the toilets.

"I'll just wait here."

...

Reid was holding a debate in his mind. Was ten minutes too long for a female to spend in the bathroom? He wasn't sure. He was aware that his idea of a reasonable amount of time for anything, was quite different to anyone else's, but was getting worried.

An elderly woman bustled out of the bathroom door, and Reid saw his opportunity.

"Excuse me ma'am? Could you check on my daughter for me please? She's been in there for some time now?" He asked the lady politely.

"Daughter?" The woman wondered. "It was only me in there."

Heart racing, Reid dashed into the room, and saw that it was indeed quite empty. The large window however, was wide open.

_**Duh-Duh-Duuuuuuh! Sorry for torturing you with a cliff hanger, but how was that? Like it? Let me know. Despise it? Let me know. Reviews are awesome, and are received with cheery smiles.**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	21. Chapter 21

"This can't happen." JJ muttered. "Not to them."

The rest of the room nodded their agreements. Ten minutes earlier, their resident genius had practically sprinted into the bullpen, babbling incoherently at two-hundred miles a minute. Hotch had done his best to calm Reid down, and it was revealed: Nora was missing.

Hotch was now in his office with Reid, constructing a missing persons report, and also calling in numerous favours with various police officers, to acquire a small army to be on the lookout for Nora.

"We'll find her." Morgan suddenly spoke, though it wasn't really addressed to anyone.

"But what if someone gets to her before we do?" Garcia panicked, shredding most of the fur off of her fluffy pen.

"Nora's book smart but she's pretty street smart too." Rossi reassured her. "It's the only positive thing she gained from her past."

"It's her past that's the problem right now." Prentiss pointed out. "Something serious is going on with her if she couldn't tell even Reid about it."

Kevin, who was not really in the conversation, but listened anyway, piped up.

"How so? I kept stuff from my parents all the time. Are you saying you didn't?"

"I'm hardly the poster kid for being the perfect child." Emily admitted. "But you haven't seen Nora and Reid together. When nothing bad is going on, if it's just a normal day, they're like..." She paused to think of a worthy explanation. "I don't know. He's not quite like her Dad, and not quite like our Reid, just this perfect combination that works for her."

"Yeah," Morgan chipped in. "He's like, do you know there was always that one kid with a single Dad at school, and he was really cool and was a pretty lax parent, but the kid still really respected him?"

Kevin seemed bemused at Morgan describing Reid as cool, then wandered off.

Morgan looked around desperately.

"You get me, right?"

"Completely," JJ nodded. "Reid isn't exactly a lax parent, but he's definetly a cool one, and Nora would tell him anything."

"It's so adorable!" Garcia squealed. "That's why its kiiilliiing me to not look for her. We need to reunite the two geniuses."

"Hang in there Baby Girl." Derek said. "Hotch asked us to stay here. I don't know why, I don't really agree, but I trust Hotch."

Suddenly, Garcia's mobile emitted a loud beeping noise. She quickly checked the handheld device, and her usually bubbly personality disappeared.

"I know why Nora took off." She whispered quietly. Seeing suspicious faces, she explained her sweeping statement.

"I um, I may have added an alert on my computer to tell me if any police stations in the country add a record with Nora's descriptions."

"Garcia," Prentiss warned "Hotch said not to."

"I know!" the woman exclaimed. "But she has such specific details, she is currently dressed entirely in green for example, that it would be too much of a miss if I hadn't."

"You said you knew something?" JJ asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Oh yes." Penelope pushed up her glasses. "A small town just past the outskirts of Virginia, don't even want to know how she got there, have just placed a girl who is most definetly Nora, in a holding cell for shoplifting a set of yellow clothes. It's tomorrow's colour, makes sense. There's one thing though. It says she won't give a name but said she was ten." The woman bit her lip.

"Nora didn't have a name when she was ten." Emily mumbled, then look up at her team. "She thinks she's ten again. She genuinely couldn't pretend to be anything, she found it hard enough to play BAU with Jack and Henry that time, she told me."

Morgan stood up. "We need to tell Reid and Hotch."

...,...

The car had never been quieter. Hotch was at the wheel, stoic expression ever present. Spencer however, half scowled in thought, and picked nervously at the the crook of his arm.

"What are you feeling?" The leader asked, hoping for a reply.

"I'm a terrible parent."

"Why?" Hotch asked curiously.

"Nora didn't run away because she was a rebellious teen." Reid shrugged. "She ran away because she was scared. I let my kid get scared."

"You are never going to be able to prevent any child from ever being scared Reid." Aaron softly warned.

"I know."

"Really?"

"Yes. It doesn't change the fact that I lost her." Reid pointed out.

"Nora is in the mindset of her ten year old self." Hotch warned, changing the subject. "Are you ready for that?"

"Yes, actually." Reid nodded, surprising them both. "I'm hoping I can provide the comfort that she needed back then. You know? Catch up on affection a bit. Even if it doesn't last long, I want Nora to have some shred of a pleasant memory before the age of thirteen."

Sadly, that was not going to be the case. As they pulled up outside the station and made their way in, the men were stopped by a beer- bellied officer.

"How can I help you?" Came the gruff grunt.

"I've come to collect my daughter. It was arranged over the phone." Reid politely responded.

"I don't think you did." the man said warily. "We have one female in at the moment. She is adamant that she has no parents."

Hotch briefly explained regression to the man, but it would do nothing to convince him to allow Nora to leave.

"Can I at least see her?" Reid pleaded.

The officer sucked air through gritted teeth.

"You got a minute. And that's a supervised minute."

Reid nodded his thanks, and was led in to a small room.

Nora lay on her stomach, silently and expressionlessly, Reid instantly recognized the aftermath of a meltdown. A meltdown he wasn't there to help her with. The young man gingerly sat down on the floor next to her. Hoping to break through to her, he softly placed a hand on top of her head. Nora's eyes shifted a centimeter and now looked up at her father skeptically, like when you can't remember if you know a person when you pass them in the street.

Her expressions settled, and she muttered under her breath.

"R-Reid? Reid. Dad!"

_**How was that? I'm not too sure about this chapter, so please let me know what you think**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	22. Chapter 22

Reid drove home in the ford, occasionally checking on Nora through the wing mirror. The girl sat in the back, winding a price of rope around her hand, unraveling it, and starting again. Reid sighed softly. Nora could remember him, and after prompting, remembered Hotch, but was still trapped in her life at ten. At first, it was hard to notice. She seemed quiet, but it was expected.

She answered direct questions, but that was all. To anyone else, she looked liked a sulking teenager, mad at being caught, only little things begged to differ. They had stayed in a hotel the night before, and at six pm, Nora began to panic slightly, and rock.

"Nora. You need to tell me what's wrong." Reid had soothed her, but to no avail.

"I'm stupid. I'm disobedient, I'm worthless, I deserve nothing." She muttered, and the young man realized she was mimicking something she had been told.

"No. You're not."

Nora continued to rock and mumble.

Then, Reid had a thought. He poured a glass of water and set of next to Nora. She was severely malnourished when they found her, but she was hydrated well. It was also recorded that she would only drink at certain times when she was first in the system. It was suspected that she was fed and watered at specific times, as one may do with a pet.

No sooner had Spencer's hand left the glass, did the girl pick it up and drink. She took quick, deep gulps, as if it would soon be taken from her, and promptly choaked. Reid took away the glass, and patted her back, wincing when she flinched at his touch.

"Slow down." He instructed softly, nodding slightly as the gulps lessened.

"You can have water whenever you want, Nora. You don't have to wait. You can always get a drink, or a snack even, whenever you want. If you can't get it yourself, ask me and I'll always say yes, I promise."

Nora frowned.

"That's not how it works. You get half a litre of water three times a day. You get food with the second half litre of water, but only if you deserve it, and you've behaved."

The girl could only bring herself to whisper whilst she rattled off the short spiel, and Reid's hatred towards Bobby increased as he gained a small insight into Nora's abuse.

Trying to shake off the girl's rather chilling comment, Reid tried to look less angry than he felt.

"Not anymore Nora. Bobby, he-he didn't treat you as he should have. The way he looked after you wasn't really looking after you. It was wrong."

Nora shifted uncomfortably, beginning to look distressed and confused.

"Hey," Reid called gently. "If it is better for you, you can still have the water at the times you used to, but you're gonna get food, proper food, three times a day, and snacks if you want them."

Since that night in the hotel room, Reid had had dozens of similar conversations with his daughter, including having to explain to Nora that she didn't have to sleep on the floor. He hadn't known what was worse, finding the tiny child curled in a corner too casually for his liking, or her terrified response to him asking her to get into bed. Nora had thought... well, she had thought something that should never pass the mind of a thirteen year old.

Reid pulled into the car park of his apartment, and tapped Nora's knee lightly, to inform her they were home. At first, the girl peered up at the building skeptically, but her features relaxed, as the recognition kicked in.

"Home." She mumbled to herself. Reid thought to comment, but figured that if she had said it to herself, it was meant for her.

...

They winded up the stairs, and Reid was surprised to see Hotch waiting outside his door.

"Um, Hello." His boss greeted.

"Hi, do you need anything?"

"I need to have a discussion with you if you're not too busy." Hotch explained, looking briefly at Nora.

"Sure, just let me show Nora her room, it's getting late." Reid nodded.

However high IQ he had, Spencer fidgeted with his keys, having to wiggle them a few times before the door opened. He hung his bag and coat on a hook along with Nora's, and led her to her room. The walls were exposed brick, painted two shades of grey, but were brightened by the many prints that hung on the walls. There were geometric patterns that Reid knew Nora found comfort in, as well as a few quotes from various books. One wall was lined with shelves, nearly collapsing under the weight of the many books they held.

Nora turned to Reid, grinning.

"This is my room." She said, making it neither a question nor a statement.

Reid nodded, happy that Nora seemed fairly comfortable. He waved a little.

"Goodnight Nora." He called.

"Night Reid."

...

Spencer returned to the living room, where Hotch sat on the sofa.

"How are you?" He asked almost immediately.

"I'm not sure." Reid replied sheepishly.

"You never are." The older man gave a glimse of a smile, but then returned to seriousness. "But really, do you need any help?"

"Not help really, it's just, I don't think anyone will know the full extent of Nora's abuse apart from the monsters that caused it. But what they did to her is showing more." Reid wrung his hands.

"What else?" Hotch asked patiently, sensing that the younger man was trying to cover up his feelings.

"I don't think I want to know the full extent!" Spencer blurted suddenly, his face quickly showing guilt.

"It's natural Reid, don't feel bad about that." Hotch assured him.

"What's not natural Aaron, is that she had to go through any of it in the first place!" Spencer would have yelled, but was conscious of Nora. "Every time she looks at me, when she's scared, or confused that she is allowed to do something that is a basic human right, the guilt gnaws at me. She should never have experienced any of it."

Despite Reid, Hotch stayed calm, and soft

"Spencer could you have controlled Nora's past?"

"That's beyond the point-"

"How old were you when Nora was born?" the older agent asked patiently.

"Twenty." Reid said quietly, dropping his eyeline to the floor.

"Were you aware of Nora back then?"

"No."

"Did you adopt Nora as soon as you could?"

"Yes."

Hotch sighed, he could never understand how Reid could memorise entire manuscripts in a day, but still needed the occasional social tip.

"Spencer I know you're hating this, you don't think you can help because you can't change Nora's past. The truth is, that no one can change the past, but you help with Nora's present everyday, and you really care about her. Right now, that's all what matters."

_**How was that? Thanks for all the really great reviews. This story doesn't have a lot left, but I want to start a new story after this! I'm not sure about what at the moment, but if if you have any ideas, PM me, it would be great.**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


	23. Chapter 23

"Emily?" Reid's voice filled the line, and Prentiss turned all her attention to her phone, instead of splitting it between that and the book she was reading.

"The one and only." She replied dryly. "What's up?"

"It's the court trial in a couple of days." The good doctor mumbled, suddenly regretting calling her in the first place.

Emily instantly knew to which trial he was referring.

"How's Nora doing?"

"She's fine. It's been arranged for her to have her testimony videoed, so she doesn't have to be asked a bunch if questions in front of a load of strangers."

"Still paranoid huh?"

"She getting a lot better actually." Reid explained, smiling to himself. "But I think even Nora before the regression would have had a hard time on the stand."

"Mmm. What do you need?" Prentiss asked, slightly curious.

"Before I ask, I will completely understand if you don't want to."

Emily could feel Reid trying to back his way out of the question.

"Believe me, if I don't want to, I won't." She smirked.

"Well, it's just, umm..." Reid stalled, trying to arrange his sentences.

"Could you maybe help Nora with her testimony? There's gonna be some stuff that Bobby did to her that I think she would have an easier time telling you about, rather than me."

"Are you sure?" Emily asked, thinking that surely JJ would be better.

"Definetly. Apparently you are sarcastic and will treat people the age they act, but are also good at giving subtle support that doesn't make the person receiving it feel patronized or babied. The kid's words, not mine."

"Wow. I had no idea she..." Emily's sentence trailed off. "Yes Reid, of course I'll talk with Nor."

"Thank you Emily, so much." Reid sighed as a weight lifted of his shoulders. "It's not going to be good." He whispered, only half to Prentiss, and half to himself.

He could hear Emily take a deep breath.

"Yeah."

...

Nora winced slightly, as she saw the shocked expression on Reid's face at her question.

"You want to go to school today?" He asked bewilderedly.

Nora nodded, though it was a miniscule movement.

"It would mean Garcia wouldn't have take me." She reasoned quietly.

"And after the talk Morgan gave, it's highly unlikely that I'll have any issues."

Reid recalled Morgan chuckling when recounting how petrified the adolescents had been when he went to warn them the consequences that had been set up against 'volcano': expulsion and a criminal record. Reid was also aware that Bobby's trial was that day. He was going after all.

"Do you miss Oz and the others?" He wondered, genuinely interested in how Nora's social aspects were developing.

"Yeah." The girl whispered. "I forget about all this when I'm with them."

Reid believed her. He had spent a good few days helping Nora rebuild lost memories, but not a minute was needed for her friends in the music department.

The young man held Nora's fringe away from her forehead, something he hadn't done since she had just started staying with him and was nervous towards most shows of affection.

"Okay. But if it gets too much, go calm down in the music room, or just ring me or someone from the team. They'll pick you up, or just talk to you if you need it."

"Okay dad." Nora spoke at her signature volume of just above audible.

"There's people coming in to talk one-on-one with us about careers, Hanna texted me."

"And so it all becomes clear!" Reid sang mock-dramatically, swiping a hand in front of Nora's face.

"You're thinking about the future?"

"Yeah, I'm having difficulty deciding what to do in university and just plain what to do." The girl scratched her ear.

"I'm considering a gap year."

"Really?" Reid smiled. "I'm not against it, but I'm curious as to why you want one."

Nora's expression went blank and her eyes darted around the room. He recognized it as her trying to string together a sentence, something the girl had struggled with of late.

Finally, she spoke.

"Even if I finish university without a gap year, in say what, four years? I'll be seventeen, and won't be able to go into the profession I've studied for, because I'll be too young. Yeah, I'll probably be university for longer than four years, but what does a year difference make, when I'll be starting at fourteen?"

Nora was babbling nervously now, so Reid stepped in. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder; she stopped talking and made shy eye contact.

"I think it's a good idea." He said softly. "Don't feel like if you take a year off, you'll disappoint me or anything. I agree with what you said, but I also have something to tell you. I wish I took a year off. I wouldn't have liked it at the time, but in the long term, it would have done me a lot of good. I grew up too quickly, Nora. It's obviously your choice whether you want to do this, but I would reccomend you don't let it happen to you."

Nora suddenly wrapped her arms around a surprised Reid, who quickly pulled her into his arms. Nora had been back for five days now, but not really, not until now.

...

Reid stood outside his car, which was parked in front of the high school. As kids piled out of the door, he spotted Nora. She saw him, and walked over, her expression unreadable. As she got closer, Nora's hands twisted her jumper hem, revealing that she was pessimistic. All Spencer did was nod, and the thirteen year old let out a short, quick breath with a smile lasting a millisecond. Nora threw herself at Reid, and as if on autopilot, his fingers combed her hair.

"It's over, kid." He whispered.

"You saw my testimony. Didn't you?" Nora replied softly.

"No. You didn't want me to. So I didn't."

"Thank you." The girl said, at the loudest she had for days. "Most parents would have watched it."

"Yes, they would have." Reid admitted. "But with us, things are different. Like that we watch movies at three in the morning, or that I give you probably too much independence. I think it's called unconventional parenting."

Nora smirked.

"Isn't that frowned upon by most parents?"

"Usually." Reid said slowly, slightly confused but amused at Nora's question. "But if it bothers you I can stop being spontaneous and start, I dunno, feeding you cabbage or something."

"Wow. Spencer Reid's view of conventional parenting is revealed." the kid drawled in a sarcastic tone she could have only learnt off of Emily Prentiss.

"There's a barbeque at Morgan's tonight. Want to go?" Reid offered.

"Yeah. Could we take blueberry anything for dessert?" Nora wondered.

"Why is it Tuesday?" Reid asked, faking curiosity.

The small girl in blue attire gave him a blank look.

"I was kidding!" Spencer held his hands in mock surrender. "How was school?"

"Good." Nora nodded. "After thirteen years, I have finally sorted my shambles of a life into something close to normalacy. But not too close," She grinned. "We wouldn't want that.

_**How was that? Sorry it's been a while, I've had a couple of projects due in for school. I can't thank reviewers enough, you're awesome.**_

_**TailsNeverFails**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hey! Sorry for the wait. Time jump of a few weeks, enjoy!**_

JJ had only asked a simple question.

"Hey Spence? Does your Mom know about Nora?"

Reid had looked slightly ill, and then nodded slowly.

"And?"

The good doctor had simply mumbled a string of nonsense and walked off.

It had now been six weeks since then, and nine weeks since Nora had moved in permanently. JJ respected Spencer's privacy, vowing to only inquire further if she had to. She was now driving the Reids to the airport for a flight she knew was to Vegas. Now was the time to inquire.

Nora had fallen asleep curled up on the back seat, and after the eventful night Reid had told her of, JJ didn't blame her, and she could now question Reid.

"Seeing your Mom Spence?" She asked innocently.

Reid did the same pale queasy look, and nodded.

"Hey," JJ warned, like an older sister might. "Tell me."

"It's stupid." Reid answered, but too quickly.

"You're a genius. Things aren't stupid with you."

She saw Reid take a breath out of the corner of her eye.

"When I first told my Mom about Nora, she was having a bad day and she thought Nora was a spy sent by the government. She told me to send her away, JJ." The young man looked helpless and confused, and although he hadn't asked a direct question, his words had sounded like one.

"It was a bad day," the Jareau reasoned. "She'll have better. And Diana will love Nora. It'll take time, for both of them, but they are very similar people, and it'll be fine."

"Hmm." The genius sounded sceptical. "One more thing: Nora in a plane."

JJ winced.

"I don't know about that. Just try keep her away from as many people as you can, and put her in the farthest seat from the aisle that you can. A good idea would be to get a return flight through the night, that way she'll sleep through it."

Reid laughed slightly and shook his head.

"Nora? She doesn't sleep. She has traumatic experiences instead."

At that moment, Nora's strangely pleasant doze turned fitful. Spencer ran his long fingers through her wispy hair, or as best he could from the passenger's seat. At his touch and lulling voice, Nora calmed, teasing a rare grin from her father.

He turned back to JJ and was faced with a pointed look.

"Yeah, actually Reid, you're a terrible father, you won't be able to handle Nora in a plane."

Reid missed all the sarcasm and looked hurt, but angry.

"Hey! Jennifer that's-"

"Joking Spence!" The young women laughed. "You're great with her, it'll be fine."

"If you say so."

...

Nora had barely moved two centimeters away from Reid since they had entered the loud, overcrowded airport. Their flight had been delayed three hours, so the tired girl had sat on a bench next to Reid and five minutes after swearing she would not sleep, she had done just that.

Reid had just began to doze off himself, when a light hand fell on his shoulder. A beaming flight attendant stood next to him.

"Sir?" She whispered. "We will be boarding in ten minutes, but when the call is made for early boarders, you can carry on your sister if you don't want to wake her."

Spencer looked down at Nora whose head rested on his chest.

"She is my daughter," Reid smiled. "But yes thank you, that would be great."

"Okay...Mr?"

"Dr Reid." He filled in the gap.

"Okay Dr Reid, I'll let security know."

The now slightly flustered looking woman hurried away.

The young man frowned inwardly at her strange behaviour, but then realized he probably looked too young to be Nora's father, let alone a doctor as well. He'd have to use a bit more tact in the future.

...,...

The flight had been fairly successful, with the exceptions of a brief nightmare, and a panic when Nora discovered turbulence.

The Bennington Sanitarium had always looked pleasant despite it's reason of existence, and as Reid and Nora approached Diana Reid could be seen sitting on a bench reading.

She looked up as their shadows covered her source of reading light.

"Spencer! My boy." She beamed and stood to hug him.

"Hi Mom, the doctor says you've been doing good this week." Reid smiled.

"I'm always doing good. That doctor is an imbecile!" Diana exclaimed crossly.

Reid chose to steer around the sudden outburst.

"Mom, this is Nora. I adopted her nine weeks ago."

Diana's expression crumpled slightly as she contemplated possibly anything.

"Hello Nora." She smiled softly, causing Reid to relax massively. "Spencer tells me you like to read."

"Hello. Yes, Poe is my favourite." Nora spoke, but her reply was stunted, and she kept her eyes on the ground.

Reid cursed himself for neglecting to consider the effects of meeting a stranger would have on his daughter.

He was about to step in, but Diana sensed this and held up a hand.

"Nora?" She asked. "I have this wonderful book called the Faerie Queene. It was one of Spencer's favourites when he was younger. Would you like to have a look?"

Nora raised her eyeline and nodded slightly.

"Yes please."

Reid watched as his mother and his daughter walked to Diana's room to retrieve the book, talking about literature. At one point, Diana even inquired as to how Nora liked living with him. All his worries dissolved, as his mother didn't seem to remember her government spy claims, and Nora settled and began to properly interact. He really needed to thank JJ.

_**How was that? Let me know. The next chapter is going to be the last, but do not fear! I've come up with a new story in the Technicolour universe, and I'll probably start posting after Christmas at the latest. Reviews are awesome, better than cupcakes (except chocolate obviously)**_

_**TailsNeverFails**_


	25. Chapter 25

_**Hey, apologies for the wait. There is a time jump to Christmas, enjoy.**_

It had started on December the first. Christmas decorations had been drifting around since October, but December was when the Christmas spirit had kicked in. Reid could tell what, but something was going on with Nora. She hadn't voiced a dislike of the holiday, but she seemed to try avoid it altogether. She didnt carol with Oz and Hanna, she had practically begged Reid not to get her an advent calendar, and when Henry wanted to make a gingerbread house, she obliged, but wouldn't eat any, saying she didn't like ginger. Reid had seen the kid eating ginger biscuits and drinking ginger soda at the same time on an orange day, so that wasn't it.

He couldn't do a lot. She was still working on trusting people, and Spencer wasn't about to knock down several people's hard work by interrogating Nora with possibly false claims. What he could do however, was just keep slightly more tabs on her than usual, and it became a regular occurance just to ask "how are you doing?" for no good reason. Her answer was always the same:"fine", and even if she wasn't, knowing that Reid cared about her seemed to help a bit.

But sat in Garcia's apartment on Christmas Eve, it got too much. It was small at first. Nodding her head for nothing, twitching her hands every now and then, but when she started discreetly pinching herself, Reid apruptly took the wheel.

"Nora?" He spoke softly. "We need to talk. Now."

Garcia overheard, and seeing the red crescent indents Nora's nails had left on her skin, she gasped quietly, but no one else seemed to notice. They were too busy chatting and half playing a disastrous game of charades.

Nora's eyeline shifted slightly, but Reid could feel her slipping away.

"Garcia?" He called. "We're just gonna go for a quick stroll."

Getting a nod in return, Spencer steered his shaking daughter out into the evening light.

No sooner did their feet hit pavement did Nora speak.

"I lied!" She blurted out suddenly.

"Nora?" Reid eased. "I need more than that to help you."

"I lied." She repeated in a whisper. "I'm not fine. I'm really not doing good, Dad."

As if on autopilot, he reached his arm around her trembling shoulders.

"Can you tell me? I need you to try Nor."

"You never told me his sentence."

"Nora," Reid prompted. "We were talking about what you need right now."

"I know what need!" Nora spoke angrily, but never raising her voice. " Just tell me Bobby's prison sentence. Please Reid."

"Life. As well as the other stuff, he was also found guilty of murder. Now you need to tell me what's been going on." The young man spoke strongly.

Nora ran a hand down her face.

"Four years ago. It was four years ago when Bobby first saw me. I was... I was a Christmas present. From... From his brother. The brother."

Reid's stomach dropped to his feet and he mentally yelled at himself for not asking Nora sooner.

"I'm so sorry Nora. He won't be out. Ever. I promise that he can't hurt you again."

"The Brother." Nora's anger had been replaced with fear, and her clear grey eyes seemed to cloud over

"Will not be a problem. Bobby murdered him."

"He-he what?"

"The brother is gone." Reid kept his words quiet and pushed down the urge to crush his daughter in a vice-like hug, but it didn't matter. Nora wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his shirt.

"Hey,hey." Spencer muttered in a concerned tone. "I know you're struggling right now, but I need you to do something for me. Compare this where you are now to a year ago. You don't have to tell me, but I know that things are going a lot better for you. And every year, you'll improve a little more each time."

Nora tipped her face up to see his.

"When do you stop?" She asked innocently.

"Improving?" Reid guessed. "You never stop. For example, last year, I was pretty alone. I had my team, but after that, it was just me and my apartment. I was also kind of feeling sorry for myself. Since I've adopted you, I have improved more than I think I ever have and will."

"Last year I was terrified of everything." Nora whispered quickly. "I pretended I wasn't and wouldn't talk to anyone."

"Now," Reid began. "You are brave and talented but also exceedingly intelligent and logical. You've made great friends and you are doing good, Nora. You might not think so, but you are doing good."

_**So how was that? There it is: the final chapter. I want to thank all the awesome people who have reviewed, read and followed. For my first story, I couldn't be happier with the amount of positive feedback I've received and I am blown away. Nora and Reid will be back in another story, but I have yet to come up with name, sorry. Thanks again**_

_**-TailsNeverFails**_


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